


Engagement at a visa

by korlovv



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben the assistant, Boss forces assistant to marry her, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Rey Is The Boss, The Proposal AU, inspired by the movie, reylo au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-10-12 19:45:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 31,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17473835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/korlovv/pseuds/korlovv
Summary: The Proposal AU: A pushy boss forces her assistant to marry her in order to keep her visastatus in the U.S. and avoid deportation.





	1. Nossy Bossy

There she was again, surrounded by books.

It’s not that she hated being saturated by pages after pages of drafts and finished books, she loved it. Her work was the best at Resistance Co. enough to be the target of repeated hate. She knew what it felt like to be looked at with envy, it was so constant that she soon learned to ignore it, to center herself in the only thing that mattered, her job.

The door in her office opened without a knock as if trying to go unnoticed. Rey’s assistant battled through the piles of books on the floor, maneuvering the cups of coffee in his hands. He placed one cup on the nearest table next to Rey and fumbled with his planner.

After taking a break from reading a highlighted draft she took a sip of coffee and watched her assistant. He looked huge from the spot she had taken on the floor, it’s not like even when she is standing he is still huge, and she barely touched his shoulder. Rey always thought funny the idea of having Mister Solo as her assistant, the huge man. In another time she would have been his assistant. Yet, thanks to her hard work she earned her spot and deserved to have a good assistant even if it was man.

He kept fumbling with the planner until he finally managed to contain all the sticky notes from falling.

“Ronald called asking if you have received his draft and your opinions.” He said shortly.

“I don’t plan on reading that thing, who knows what kind of unhuman ideas it can contain. Tell him it got lost at sea.” She mumbled at the draft in her lap

“I thought you wouldn’t read it, so I told him it never came. I’ve already told the mail service that if a package from Minnesota came in with the name of Ronald, they can burn it.”

He looked down at her as if looking for approval, she didn’t as much as grunt. “Teedo on the other hand apparently took in some drafts without your permission and is planning on publishing them. He believes they will be a hit.”

At that she looked up as if he was saying it was going to rain inside her office.

That stupid little creep always wanting her post but never doing the correct. She stood from the floor and arched her back, ready for a duel. As if that made her look taller than her assistant.

“How do you get this information?” she asked before marching out of the office with him on her heels.

Teedo’s office wasn’t far from hers, yet it was smaller and far more isolated. Perfect for a creep like him. She didn’t knock as she entered, for the slam of the door was as good as it.

“Why am I hearing about some unknown drafts being sent to publishing?” she said calmly letting Teedo recover from the surprise she made.

“Ahh, so your little charm boy here has his noses in other places, no wonder you are in a bad mood”

Ben just stared at a bookshelf with intensity as he had never seen it before. Rey smiled broadly at the statement. “You aren’t that quiet Teedo.”

She looked right in Teedo’s eyes without a glint of anything, letting her smile make him uneasy.

“Your only job was to make sure the drafts were delivered to me, then you would go and make the styling of every title font. And after a long day of work you could go back to your small house and fuck your neighbor, because your wife, even she knows you are a failure.” that left Teedo without words and horror.

“But, now you are fired. What will be your job?” like that she left the small office with Ben trailing behind with a smug grin. She made her way to her office, she still had work to be done.

“Ms. Kenobi, he will come back raging in about like 5 minutes.” said Ben once the door was shut behind him.

“Sufficient time”

She sat at her desk sipping the cold coffee Ben bought her from the morning, and just in the time Ben had claimed, he barged through the door letting his rant slip to all of the other workers.

“YOU ARE A MISERABLE BITCH!”

Ben stood next to Rey as if the man were meant to strike against her; he would definitely crack his wrist.

“YOU ARE AN ENVIOUS SNAKE. AND IN YOUR COMMAND THIS PLACE WILL ROT”

Rey had taken enough of these comments throughout her career, this was nothing new. But it was too early in the morning to be dealing with this, plus she had work to be done with. She dialed the security in the building.

“Yes, hello. There is a freak in my office, if you don’t come for him my assistant will whip his ass Thank you.” She said on the phone.

“Yeah, thanks for the info.”

Faster than she thought the security guards came in and took Teedo out screaming blasphemy to the air.

“Another day in paradise” mumbled Ben while sitting down on the couch.

“Make sure to send a message to the publishing department for them to stop that weirdos work.”

“Done that already.”

They stayed there like that every day, they didn’t talk as much but where was one was the other. In silence always working, until the cheery ringtone of his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and scowled at it.

“Don’t want to answer?” she asked

“No”

She was glad so she wouldn’t have to hear the conversation, but the ringtone didn’t stop. It was so loud and annoying that even she couldn’t ignore it.

“Just answer” she exclaimed

Like some scolded puppy he answered the phone.  
“Hello mother…Yes, I am working…Don’t worry…I don’t know mom, I have to check…I know” then he hung up.

“Family, huh”

“Apparently I am needed this weekend.”

Rey looked up from her desk to look at him. “This weekend is our meeting with Simon in Nebraska. You have to come with me.”

“But, it’s weekend. Those are my days off” he said softly

“Well, you will receive an extra in your paycheck. Nebraska, this weekend. End of story.” she didn’t look at the gaze of hatred he gave her, she always had work.

“Ben” she said softly in one of her pauses. He looked up from his laptop where he was furiously typing. “I hate that sweater. Please don’t ever use it again.” Like that she returned to sending emails to her online clients. Ben stared down at his stripped sweater while frowning at the cloth.

“I will be right back”

Only after he left did she hear a frustrated growl just outside her door and a bang on the wall making her frames fall to the ground. Ten seconds later Ben entered the office with rattled hair and red knuckles.

“Apparently Holdo wants to speak to you. Her assistant said she wants you in her office.” he spoke hoarsely.

Rey lifted from her seat and turned to the door before turning to Ben. “Come for me in 6 minutes, I need to get work done.” then she left.

When she entered Holdo’s office she noticed the worried crease on her forehead. Holdo was always nice to her and knew just how important she was to this publisher. Something bad was happening.

“I had to fire that guy, he didn’t consult me.” mumbled Rey

Holdo looked at her in question.

“Teedo”

“No Rey, am glad you did that, I was going to do it sooner or later. This is something else.” She said sitting behind her desk, motioning for Rey to sit. Once she was seated only did Holdo let herself breath.

“Rey, you visa.”

Her visa, it was about to get expired or was it already expired?

“I know about it. Don’t worry I still got time, I make the trip to LA to the convention and once there I convince Dameron to give me the draft and boom! Resistance Co. has a new deal in the market. Easy peasy”

Holdo shook her head at every word. “Rey, it has expired already. The U.S. immigration agent has you already in the eye. We can’t let you do it, we will have to send someone else.”

Rey stood from panic and started to back away. “No, you can’t. Holdo, you know my work, you know I can do this. Let’s not tell this agent and when I get back I will renew the visa. He won’t even suspect.” She claimed as a fact.

“No, they know where you work and your profile has been sent everywhere. They are coming for you.” said Holdo sadly.

Like if hell had risen up and decided today was the day the devil would drag her around, Ben came through the office.

“Sorry to interrupt. But we really need Rey down here, it’s kinda important.” he said taking the scene before his eyes, noticing the panic in Rey’s eyes. “But…maybe in a couple of minutes is okay.”

Just when he was about to leave the office did the bulb lighten in her head.

“No, come in.” she said dragging him from the door. He turned stiff under her touch, she had never even shaken his hand. “Come darling, it’s time they know.”

Darling? What was happening in that moment? Ben had no idea, he was starting to grow panic and the sweat manifested rapidly.

“They can’t do it.” she said to Holdo directly. “Because Benny and I are getting married.”

Ben was already a pale person, but right know it wouldn’t surprise him if he was translucent. Rey on the other hand felt like kicking a desk until she no longer had foot. But for her sake she had to plaster a smile on her face as she tangled her arms with Ben’s.

“Since he became my assistant we fell in love immediately, since then we can’t live without each other. And we are getting married soon.”

Ben still looked terrified and no wonder. In just two seconds he was suddenly engaged to his worst nightmare.

“Well, that's quite the news. Congratulations for you two.” said Holdo letting the pair leave the too small office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me :)  
> twitter / @ korloov  
> tumblr / korlovv-writes  
> you can also check my kofi for more info about the story♡


	2. The ginger agent

“Benny?” he asked once Rey had dragged them into the safety of her office.

“Look, this is what we are going to do. First-“

“Don’t call me that. Ever.” He interrupted her.

This was the first time someone had interrupted her in such a long time, mostly it was the other way around. She stared at Ben as he slouched on the couch lifting his feet to the nearest table in the process. Rey had never seen him act this way, she sat in the chair of the table realizing how long Ben’s foot was, as big as her head.

“I’m sorry I pulled you into this. But here is what we are going to do.” she said placing her hands on her knee. “We will go to this immigration agent and clarify that we are getting married. Maybe that will get him off my back for some months, enough so I can go to LA and come back.”

Ben raised his head at the mention of married. Not once in his life had he thought of the word, least of all of actually doing it. Now he was going to marry his boss, one that he detested but carried on because he needed the job. It’s not that the idea of being married to a beautiful and empowered woman scared Ben, he just simply never thought of it. If he was going to sacrifice his liberty, he needed conditions.

“I’m not marrying you.” he stated

“You will.” she fired back. “Look at the bright side. We get married in a couple of days, I fix my visa and once that is done. Boom, we divorce in an instant, my lawyer can do that.”

“Fine. But what’s in play for me? What do I win of all this? I’m the one risking my liberty for you, so you better hit the price.” he said leaning back in the couch with no decency.

Rey gaped at such scene, not once in her life had she ever been blackmailed. This man was truly breaking the rules while committing first times. Ben was her lovely secretary and ever since he came to her he had never asked for nothing, except for a lone draft he once delivered to her. Ben Solo was beneath the title. She promised she would read it, but that was about two years ago and Ben had lost all faith in his career as an author. Maybe it was time to bring it out.

“I will publish your book. And the publicist will make emphasis on how amazing it is.” as she said that it seemed like life had decided to entered Ben’s body again, his eyes lifted with all the light in the world. “But, if you say no even to that. Forget your novel. I will be deported and whoever they decide to put in my place, trust me, will never touch you draft because the comments I will leave will be so horrible that it won’t even need a read. After all, you know how important I am in the publishing industry.”

Rey definitely had a talent to destroy other people’s aspirations and dreams. She smiled triumphant at her final threat, knowing that Ben wouldn’t decline her offer. The poor man had never felt such a hatred for his boss since this morning, and he would have to marry this monster.

“You are a monster.” he whispered. 

Her smile widened as she replied. “Yes, I am.”

-

Their appointment was scheduled a few days later and Rey was nervous. One thing was blackmailing and lying to her coworkers, but doing it to a national agent was on a whole other level. When she arrived to the building, Ben was already there, reclining against a pillar. He was dressed in a gray formal shirt with black pants as usual, his hair covering the too big ears that had made Rey want to nickname him Dumbo but decided that that was too cruel.

“About time you arrive” he mumbled walking closer to her. “The appointment is in about 10 minutes. Enough time to make a brainstorm?” 

Rey laughed at his idea “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Just let me do the talking.” she proceeded to enter the building, not even waiting for Ben.

Just in time the agent opened the door for the soon to be husband and wife. The man was a ginger and had a pale complex, his face radiated pure annoyance just like the one Rey had inside of her but couldn’t plaster on her face.

“Agent Hux in your presence” he said reaching out a hand to Rey and then to Ben.

What surprised Ben the most was his accent, it wasn’t as pretty as Rey had her perfect british one.

“How are you an immigrant agent when you are clearly not from here?” he asked before he could notice what came from his mouth. Hux rolled his eyes as if told he was going to eat eggs for the tenth time.

“I grew up in London but was born here. Once of age I decided I wanted in on national security. I AM legal.” at the last part his eyes pierced Rey’s making her shift from her chair.

“So, Miss Kenobi, your immigrant status is not the best. You are expected to be deported back to where you come from and pay the violations you made.” he said unlocking a drawer under his desk revealing folder after folder of immigrants, hers had her name visibly in the top. He took it out and displayed it on top of the desk, letting her picture fall to the ground. “You were working in a full time job when your visa clearly stated you could not work in the US. And especially of all by violating the 90 days stretch you had with your visa, you have been hiding from us since then.” his eyes as blue as the water she chugged nervously.

Ben sensed the uneasiness from Rey and wrapped a hand around hers, almost causing Rey to spill her water bottle. “The money will be paid for the violations. But, she can’t be deported because she is my fiancée.”

“So I’ve heard. Mister Solo, you are aware that if I find out that this is a fraud, you will be accused of felony with a punishment with a fine of $250,000.00 dollars and a stay of 5 years in federal prison.” he said eye to eye with Ben. The grip on Rey’s hand loosened making her turn her head to talk.

“We understand. But, it isn’t a lie.” she said gripping harder to Ben’s hand. “My…” she looked at Ben as if in need of cue, what kind of endearment was she meant to call him? “sunshine.” she said stupidly. “We have fallen in love and can’t do anything about it other than marry each other. He can’t let you deport me, right, baby?” she looked into Ben’s eyes only to realize how much he hated her in that moment.

“Yes, I love my little…cupcake too much. I fell in love with her since the moment I saw her. So rigid and stomping on other people’s throats.”

Rey laughed. “That attracted you?” she giggled.

“The way you yell at them is exquisite” he smiled

Hux watched the lovebirds exchange words, in search of any failure.

“Where is the engagement ring?” he asked

Rey had totally forgotten about that, her smile fell as she stared down at her empty finger. It was Ben who saved the day.

“I’m going to give it to her when we make the official engagement party. Once everyone is invited, even you.” he nodded toward Hux. That earned him a grunt and took Rey’s record back to its drawer.

“Listen, I am a different agent, I take this serious. You will schedule another appointment, in this one I will interview each one of you with questions about the other, and I will speak to every family member and neighbor about your relationship. If the answers don’t match, consider yourselves dead.” Rey and Ben nodded, mostly because they wanted to leave the office in a sprint.

“Well, to get this finished with, does your family know about this unknown love?” he asked

“No” Rey said after a thought. “My parent’s died when I was at a young age. No sisters or brothers.” she mumbled softly. They both looked at Ben as Rey answered for him. “His are very much alive.” She needed credibility and in other for that she had to risk. “In fact, the engagement party will be at his parents’ house.” she said recalling Ben’s phone call.

Ben stared at her this time, suddenly feeling as if he didn’t know this girl who had interlaced her fingers with his, palm smaller than his.

“When will you both leave for Ben’s parents home?” Hux asked.

“This weekend.”

“Where is their home?”

Rey stopped and looked back at Ben’s eyes which had not left hers.

“Sitka, Alaska.” he said as if in a trance.

“Well, then make your appointment and see you then. Beware about not matching responses” said Hux as they left the room.

When the breeze air of NY hit their faces they could finally allow themselves to breath.

“We can forget the trip to my parents and go to Nebraska. No big deal, they won’t even notice.” said Ben releasing his hand from Rey’s.

She sighed and softened her skirt while thinking. “We can’t. That Hux probably already sent my profile to every place. I won’t be able to leave NY unless I go to Alaska. And if we don’t go, he will instantly question. Let’s not play fool.”

Ben stared at the crowded streets of NY and came with the idea of how unlucky he was. Tied to a woman he couldn’t stand and that she, out of all people was the one that would make him go home, to the one place he never wanted to be.

“Well, here’s for ruining my weekend. See you tomorrow at the airport, cupcake.” he left before she could threaten him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me :)  
> twitter / @ korloov  
> tumblr / korlovv-writes  
> you can also check my kofi for more info about the story♡


	3. Air of planes

What could a 12 hour flight do other than put Rey in a really bad mood? Yes, having a fat giraffe in the seat next to her.

“Why are we in tourist class?” she asked under her breath just so the other passengers couldn’t hear her.

After a lot of shaking and adjusting did Ben finally find a way to get settled, his huge legs could barely fit between the seats marking his knees against the front seat.

“Because we don’t have a lot of budget. Plus, what are 12 hours and half of one? You just sleep” he mumbled while plucking his earphones.

She rolled her eyes and stared at her agenda, she sure had a busy week. Since she was to go to Alaska to meet her fake family in law she had to postpone the meeting with Simon, she would have to delay getting her hands on his draft before any other publisher could. While the Dameron draft was in LA and stayed there, then there would be no drama. As long as the First Order Co. stayed somewhere else. Once she made three checks on her agenda she felt like hours had passed, to her surprise it was only minutes. She was getting bored really quickly.

Rey stole a glance at Ben’s direction, the lucky man got the window seat but he was so stone asleep that he didn’t enjoy the view. She took a moment to actually see her assistant from two years now, he was a man she was not used to. Of course he was familiar and had the entirety of Rey’s trust. But, never had she imagined seeing someone like him. His nose was too big for his eyes, his face so long and full of tiny and big moles. His hair that rich color that had made Rey secretly envious once or twice. But most of all, his lips, she wondered about them. 

The bubble ripped abruptly when the flight attendant touched her shoulder, Rey looked up at her icy eyes.

“Something to eat or drink?” she asked.

“Yes, some water and pistachios for me.” said Rey while taking some money out of her wallet.

The flight attendant handed her the snacks but didn’t leave immediately until Rey looked back and asked.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry, wouldn’t your companion want something too?”

Rey looked back at Ben who seemed undisturbed by anything, of course she didn’t want to give him her pistachios once he woke up. But she didn’t know what he would like.

“I guess some peanuts are okay” said Rey giving up more of her money.

Even though she didn’t want to admit it, she had to learn more of Ben, she would have to play the part for a while.

-

When Ben finally woke up she was already at the middle of one of the drafts she decided to bring with her, once she returned to NY she would have to release the verdict. She didn’t look at him as he yawned like a stray cat, but from the corner of her eye she could see his shirt lift a bit revealing white pale skin underneath. Rey gulped down her water bottle.

“You bought snacks and didn’t tell me? I’m starving.” he mumbled in a voice she never heard from him, a soft roguish voice that definitely came from his sleep. Rey ignored the tingle in her spine.

“I am a good wife.” she said finally lifting her gaze to him. “I bought you peanuts”

Ben stared at the unopened bag and laughed under his breath not wanting to wake other passengers. His smile surprised Rey, he didn’t let her see that often. She had to admit, it was beautiful. But it all turned to ice once she realized that he was laughing at her.

“Cupcake, I’m allergic to peanuts.”

Why does she always mess things up when it’s not work related? She could feel her blood rise quickly to her cheeks, flooding her of the color red. And that just kept Ben laughing.

“You definitely are the worst wife. I can’t trust you. One day you are going to poison me.”

She stared at her hands in horror, if he kept laughing poison wouldn’t be the route she would take in his murder.

“I’ll call the attendant”

When she arrived, Rey noticed the undone button on her shirt that was covered just a moment ago. Yes, the lady was pretty with her blue icy eyes and pale body.

“Anything I can help?” she whispered to Ben, totally ignoring Rey blocking her from her seat.

“Yes. I know the cart stopped wandering but I really need a snack.” he said lifting his neck closer to the woman.

“Oh, no problem. What would you like?”

“Can I get some orange juice and crackers?”

“Right on the way.”

Like that she left to fetch Ben’s order.

“Why don’t you go help her find the orange juice?” Rey said looking innocent.

That cracked a smile from Ben.

“Is my not-yet-wife jealous?”

That earned a scoff from her.

“As if.”

When the flight attendant returned and gave Ben his order after reassuring him that it was the best juice in the plane, and that it was imported from Europe did she leave with a smile. Leaving Ben gawking at her behind, right in front of Rey’s face.

“You are nasty.” she claimed.

“Says the woman who blackmails me”

“You should get her number, maybe you can call her once we divorce.”

Rey meant that as an actual suggestion but she failed to notice the flight attendant passing by and overhearing.

“Oh lord! Divorce? No!” she exclaimed crouching immediately next to Rey. “Ma’am that was never my intention. I had no idea you two were married. I didn’t see a ring and I thought…I am deeply sorry. I really don’t want to be the cause of your divorce.” she said as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Rey didn’t know what to do so she just nodded as the poor girl stood and walked away.

“Way to go.” mumbled Ben while munching a cracker, Rey smacked his arm hard in the hope to make him feel just as bad as she felt.

“We made that poor girl cry because of a thing that isn’t true”

Ben rubbed his arm as he looked at her in shook.

“WE? If I recall you were the one who made wife-husband jokes”

She really wanted to pluck his eye out with one of his crackers, but she decided to let the topic go. After all they were stuck in this plane for another 8 hours.

“I’m going to sleep” she folded her arms over her chest and closed her eyes, hoping to gain some sleep. One thing was for sure, those damn airplane seats were hell. She wondered how Ben got to sleep for two hours. Rey moved like a worm in desperation of seeking to find that comfortable spot, and once tired and free to give up did she feel sleep star to kick in. She gave in fully when her head met with something warm and soft, it smelled delicious almost like inviting her to sleep.

She wished she could’ve just dream of snowball fights and wonderland, but she always had that rough nightmare. A girl locked in a closet of a house she doesn’t know too well, she knows they’re coming for her. The house is always dark and quiet, she can hear the footsteps.

“Come out, little dolly. Don’t you want to play?”

That voice. She hates that voice.

Her eyes snap open when she feels a hand cup her cheek, like the air was being sucked out.

“Rey? You were having a bad dream.” said Ben too close to her face.

Then did she realize why it was so warm in the airplane all of a sudden. Her head laid on the crook of his neck while her arms were wrapped around his chest like some pillow, his hand warm at her cheek. That hit Rey like a bolt as she untangled from him and backed away to her seat.

“I’m sorry” she mumbled.

“No worries.”

The sky seemed to lighten up through the window and it shocked Rey the icy view. She, a girl who lived most of her life in a hot desert place like Arizona was now looking through the window to a view of beautiful mountains with white peaks.

“We are almost there.” she marveled

“Yup, just some hours and hello Alaska”

She smiled and wiped her eyes off the sleep.

“Finally! I’m sick of airplane” she said

“We still have to catch another one.”

“What?”

Ben watched Rey in awe, he never thought he’d get to see his moody boss be like this, and most of all to wake up with the sensation of her sleeping comfortably on his chest.

“You did no research, right?”

“No, that’s why you are here”

“Cupcake, Sitka is an island. We need a plane to get there.” he watched her as she pointed her eyes like dagger at him for the word –cupcake- “We arrive at Kenai and eat something decent for the love of God, and then we catch a plane for Sitka. Just more 5 hours of just you and me.”

Rey wanted to jump out of the plane, but decided she was too young to die. She didn’t know what was worse, if being stuck in an airplane with Mr. Solo or actually getting to Sitka and meet her fake family in law. Guess she would have to see, and by that, no throwing herself out of the plane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me :)  
> twitter / @ korloov  
> tumblr / korlovv-writes  
> you can also check my kofi for more info about the story♡


	4. Home Sweet Home

Blue and frost, which was all that covered the entire landscape.

Rey stood impatiently as she waited for her bag, a cute suitcase that had hurt when she had to pay the seller. But it was worth it, for it was spacious and fancy. Not like the old bag Ben had draped across his long back, so rusted and faded that made Rey aware that maybe he had money problems. She felt bad for not actually asking him.

When her bag appeared between the ocean of other bad bags she exhaled, her life was in there.

“Listen, they will likely attack you with questions once they know the… surprise.” He said taking lead out of the tiny airport, leaving Rey to take care of her bag. She frowned at his back as she dragged behind him.

“Attack me?” she didn’t know if she was ready to be plagued by curious ladies.

“My family…well…they want to drown in anything I give them.” he glanced back at her redden face as she struggled to untangle one of her bags strips.

“Why?” she scoffed.

He stopped at the entrance and waited for Rey to hurry beside him. He scanned the waiting room and she would’ve helped… if she knew exactly which faces to look for.

“Ben!” someone shouted.

Rey looked at the direction only to see an elder woman swing her hands in the air with a smile spreaded across her face. Next to her was a woman with some gray in her hair, not completely as the other, but some wrinkles were visible. They both smiled and Rey could have sworn the elder lady was crying in glee.

“That’s them” murmured Ben under his breath, not sure if Rey heard.

He started walking toward them bracing himself for the rain of kisses and hugs, one of the things he didn’t like.

“Ben!” exclaimed his grandmother one more time, making fellow passengers lift their heads.

“Mama Pad” he said once in her arms, the lady kissed every mole in his face and caressed his cheek before letting go.

The other woman watched the show in loving eyes, smiling deeply at the sight of him. She waited for her time to hug him and Rey heard her take in a breath, smelling him. She saw her whisper something in his ear and Rey felt like some intruder.

She started to back away into one of the lounging seats when Ben turned to her, his eyes looking a little heavy to Rey. She decided it was the effects of the flight.

“This is Rey, my boss.” He said to the ladies, two new set of eyes stared at her, as acknowledging her existence for the first time. “Rey, this is my grandmother, Padmé Amidala.”

Rey noticed the old lady and smiled her way, not sure what to say. The lady was small and beautiful at Rey’s eyes, the perfect image of any perfect grandmother. Her hair entirely gray and twisted in some curls around her small face. Rey noticed that some of the moles she owned were the exact pattern as Ben’s.

She had never been in this situation, of course she had dates back then, but never something so serious. Most boys were afraid of her, so she never had the chance to meet the parents of an actual suitor. It thrilled Rey and made her self-conscious, she probably looked like some alley cat after nuzzling in her plane seat. The lady just smiled warmly at her direction and tugged her closer.

“Nice to meet you, young one.” she said.

“And, this is my mother. Leia Organa.”

The other lady who looked at Rey with calm eyes extended her hand and shook Rey’s. It took all of her will power to not gulp at her sight. This was the first time Rey actually felt intimidated by another female. Leia looked so put together, like she was handmade to order and lead. A perfect updo and impeccable skin.

“Welcome to Sitka”

-

The drive after was a little uncomfortable, mostly because Ben and her were compressed in the backseats of an old truck. Ben, of course, too big for the seats.

“Ben, when you called and said your boss was coming too, I never thought she’d be so young” said the old lady. “How did you, being such a grown man end up being a secretary. No offense, darling. I’m not trying to offend your hard work”

Rey stared at the window at that question, she had the right to have anyone as a secretary and Ben had accepted the job without question.

“Gran, I’m not a secretary.” he mumbled a bit annoyed.

Leia let out a soft laugh, “Isn’t that the same thing as an assistant?”

“No, as an assistant my role is bigger. I take care of many things and the secretaries report to me.” he replied back.

But Rey had stopped listening to whatever they were saying for a certain name caught her eye. Solo. She glanced back at Ben sitting very annoyed next to her, he caught her staring.

“What?” he asked.

She looked back at the passing shops only to affirm that almost every shop had Solo in their names. Solo’s Photography booth, Solo’s local market, Solo’s shoe store.

“Why is your last name in every shop?” she murmured back to him so the ladies wouldn’t hear her.

He winced and at her question and growled. It was Padmé who answered for him.

“Oh, I bet my boy here didn’t want to fawn, that’s how he is. Just a simple boy.” She said turning in her seat so she could smile directly at Ben.

Leia kept her eyes on the road as she answered. “It’s a family business my husband started long ago. It has grown greatly.”

She was about to attack Ben with another question when the truck stopped at a harbor, she looked around confused only to see everyone coming out of the truck. She hauled Ben away and asked him.

“What now? More to travel? You said we were going to Sika?” she whispered angrily at him. Ben felt irritated, exhausted and was not in the mood for Rey’s bossy behavior. One thing was coping with it inside office hours, but this was his free time.

“You can stay here if you like, I’ll come pick you up on Monday” he moved away from her only to have her trail behind his footsteps. She was muttering nonsense behind his back and he had enough of her rattling.

“Listen, this is the only we can get to my mother’s house. So shut that mouth and smile.” He said dwarfing her as she stared into him. Rey gaped, suddenly he had all the bravery he never manifested at work. She wanted to punch him.

She closed her pretty mouth and stomped down the harbor only to stop at the sight of Leia and Padmé sitting comfortably against the seats of a pearl yacht.

“A yacht?”

Leia looked at her and smiled. “Yes, dear. Our family has retired from the town and the only way to home is via sea” she started the engine and glanced back at her. “Ready to go?”

Ben hopped on the yacht and sat beside his grandmother not even looking at Rey in the process. After many fearful attempts did she manage to get onboard of the yacht and grabbed on for dear life as the engine roared away from the harbor.

Their home was approximately 20 minutes away from town, well, more like their castle was 20 minutes away. Rey swallowed her pride and scooted over to Ben, she needed answers.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were rich?” she whispered at him.

“I’m not rich. My parents are.” He said standing to leave the yacht once it was safely put in their own harbor. He helped his mother and grandma climb out of the yacht with a smirk leaving Rey to climb herself out. They started to walk toward the castle when a faint sound of music was trailing through the inside.

“What is that?” asked Ben, feeling all his irritation return once again just when he thought he could have peace.

“Don’t worry, dear.” said Leia as she pinched Ben’s cheek turning it beet red. “It’s a welcome party, we haven’t had you home since a long time.” She cracked a smile as an apology.

“Mom” he said in an annoying pitch. “Why?” he grumbled.

“Hush, and enjoy.”

-

When they entered the living room (which was about Rey’s entire bedroom and kitchen together as big.), it was cramped full. Everyone cheered at the sight of Ben and the music turned higher, but Rey noticed Ben’s ears turn red and his hands twitch. She looked away before getting caught.

“Ben Solo!” someone shouted from across the room, every gleeful face turning at the sight of a tiny old woman with glasses round and big. The woman went straight to Ben and made him hunch for a hug. When they separated the lady stared with half-closed eyes at Rey, making her shift uncomfortably. “Who is this young lady?” she asked.

“Maz, this is Rey, my boss.” he said waving a hand at Rey’s direction. “Rey, this is Maz Kanata, an old friend of our family”

The woman laughed and gave him an offended look. “I’m not that old. Thank you.” Her gaze returning at the duty at hand, inspecting Rey. “So you are the famous boss of my boy, we’ve all heard of the Satan’s Wife or would you like Vicious Viper?” the smile didn’t die on her face as she said that.

Rey looked shocked as she glanced at Ben who had out of the bloom turned red once again, totally avoiding Rey’s gaze. She put her hands or hips as if deciding to talk back, her first instinct was to reply with something cold. But this was her future family in law, and first impressions mattered.

Ben cleared his throat and launched himself between the two tiny women, knowing perfectly the way Rey would talk back. It wasn’t that he was sacred of what Rey would say, but he knew Maz would reply as well and it would be a never ending fight. He cracked a weird laugh and glanced back at Rey, shrugging as if were nothing.

“It’s a joke.”

“Sure” she mumbled with an icy tone, moving toward Leia. “Mind to show me the ladies room?”

“Right in the corner of the hall, dear” she said pointing at the door to Rey.

When she was gone only did Ben release a breath he didn’t know was trapped inside him. He looked back at Maz who was studding him deeply.

“What’s wrong, boy?”

He shook his head and glanced at his mother. “Were is he?” he murmured down at Maz.

“These Solo’s, always full of trouble.” she said, head pointing to the end of the room, were he sat surrounded by food.

Ben walked toward him, tensing and separating every finger in his hands, ready for what was to come. There, infront of him sat one of the reasons why he didn’t like to go back to Sitka.

“Hello, Han.”

“Hello, kid”

Han stood from his chair and approached Ben slowly as if testing how much he was able to accept. Ben just extended his hand as greeting and once done with the handshake did he shoved his too big hands in his pockets.

“Heard you here with that boss of your” said Han looking around. “Can’t go anywhere without a nanny?” he teased Ben.

But he wasn’t in the mood.

“She’s in the bathroom.”

“You know, if you ever get tired of playing the big man in the city and don’t want to be a secretary anymore, you can always head back home and take over the family business.” Han said reaching for a chip of his choice.

Ben needed to get the topic turned over, today wasn’t the day he would fight with his dad. And he watched as his escape route exited the bathroom and came back to the living room.

“I’m getting engaged.” he said blandly.

That got everyone’s attention, even of those who weren’t even listening to Ben and Han’s conversation.

“About time.” said Han with an actual smile.

“With my boss.”

Every eye turned to her. Did she step on something? She thought. But Ben looked at her with the steadiest eyes and suddenly everyone knew. It was Padmé’s giggle that erupted the whole room to glee, and it was Leia who wrapped both of them into a tight hug. A flash caught her eye and Rey felt like some animal, startled by the flash.

“Perfect, the Mayor’s son is getting married in his hometown, Sitka!” exclaimed the lady behind the camera.

Rey looked at Ben with question in her eyes. Damn, she had many questions. Who was she going to marry? Suddenly Rey had no idea who her two years assistant was.

When he catched her awkward stare she mouthed one word. Mayor? He shrugged and smiled at the camera not giving a single reassuring look or waiting for her to look at the reporter who loved the scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me :)  
> twitter / @ korloov  
> tumblr / korlovv-writes  
> you can also check my kofi for more info about the story♡


	5. Friday

Rey felt like some famous artist that was caught in the busy streets of New York and was suddenly pulled by fans into a highway were a bus was set to crush her.

Well, that was as close as she could feel at the moment.

Flash. You two are so adorable! Flash. The wedding will be spectacular! Flash. I’m so proud of you!

That was the only thing Rey could hear between the sea of arms that wrapped Ben and her.

She was still stunned by the reaction of the entire room, and especially of the new slip of information she had over Ben.

The music turned louder as everyone hugged the new lovebirds and the aura of the room turned into glee.

Glee that Ben couldn’t feel.

“Someone pop the whisky in the top drawer!” said Leia over the giggles. “Time to celebrate!”

At that Ben turned around under the hard grip of a person he did not recognize very well.

“Mother, you can’t drink. You have medications”

Leia only smiled as she chugged a full shot of whisky.

“Like hell I can! This just turned into an engagement party!”

The room seemed to settle down as Padmé strode between the two of them and took her time in hugging each one.

She seemed so happy at the idea of seeing her adored grandson getting married. As they all sat on the couch did Padmé continue with congratulating the couple.

“Oh, Ben! I was starting to think I was never going to see you get married.” said the lady as some others smirked in the background, earning an eye roll from Ben.

“You are not going to die anytime soon, mama Pad”

Padmé laughed softly while placing a small hand on his back. “I meant that you are getting older each day.”

That kept Ben silent and bloody red in the face. Rey cleared her throat at the sudden tension that was visible in Ben’s posture.

“Ben isn’t that old. It wouldn’t surprise me if any girl of any age would lay eyes on him.”

They all looked at her with tenderness in their eyes. Apparently her choice of words weren’t the best for what she wanted to say.

As Rey turned to see the faces of their guest she realized how they melted with adoration at the sight.

They are so cute, she heard a lady say behind her.

“Well, you certainly laid not just your eyes on my boy here.” said Padmé after a pause.

Rey looked startled, gaze drifting from the tender eyes of Padmé to the confused equals that were of Ben’s.

“I mean, Ben is a really smart man and passionate at what he loves,” her voice sharpening as she tried to take in air. “He is a great man.”

“Passionate, I see?” said Padmé with a wink as Rey wanted to mentally slap herself. “Perfect! Because I want to get to see my great grandchildren!”

Ben gasped and closed his eyes with full force as his grandmother said those words, of course she would. Rey on the other hand looked as if she had seen a ghost, paleness instantly on her face.

The guests agreed and they murmured their predictions.

Imagine that!

The most beautiful children in Sitka!

The mayor’s family is the best!

“No, thank you! We won’t have children.” Rey said as she found her voice from an arid desert. “We don’t want any, there are no plans for them in any close future.”

“No children!” gasped Padmé as her face crumbled into the pure image of sadness. Her frame instantly hunching in defeat. “You don’t want a family?”

Rey melted as she saw the old lady shift her face to look at Ben with the saddest look she had ever seen. Rey was now a monster to this family.

“Of course I want a family, I just don’t think it’s for us to start one,” she said as she looked at Ben in hopes for him to take the conversation on another route.

“I really wanted to see a great grandson with my own two eyes before I left this world.”

Rey felt miserable under the hurtful gaze of Padmé. “I do want children, but I still have aspirations and many things to accomplish...,” Padmé started to sob and Leia behind her. “but yes, if they come, they will be a blessing.”

Ben stood from the couch ready to leave the intoxicating area full of unknown desires and ideas he never thought about until just a few days ago.

He had plenty of family and personal issues that the idea of having to raise and be the example of a toddler was no appeal to him. Yet, the little thorn entered his mind.

He imagined a little boy with the same raven black hair of his and the same brown eyes that were signature of the Solo’s.

What surprised Ben was that the little boy’s face was filled with freckles, when the boy grinned he immediately recognized that smile.

That scared Ben to a whole other level.

“So, you do consider the idea of children?” asked Padmé softly as she wiped a tear on her cheek.

Rey wasn’t sure but as she stared back at the prominent stare that Ben gave her a chill traveled down her back. She took air before answering. “Yes, children would be welcome.”

That was the green light as Padmé’s face lit up as a Christmas tree, a smile spreading entirely over her once sad face. “Beautiful!”

If only they knew what kind of future plans Grandma Padmé had for them.

-

Everyone seemed to forget about the new couple as the day continued which left the crowd to delight in the adventures of Han Solo and Uncle Chewie.

That was the moment that Ben took the opportunity to escape to the kitchen.

It was common for him to feel stressed at the attention he was drawing for this unplanned marriage.

He walked in circles until Rey appeared out of the corner of his eye, looking tired and somewhat more comfortable in his home than he had ever.

Rey gulped as she approached him slowly, the grip on her wine glass harder as she advanced. Ben had stopped walking to just stand there like some marble statue, totally blocking her path to the wine rack.

It was the first time they were slightly alone since the flight, even if they were surrounded by other passengers.

What surprised Rey the most was that they only stared at each other, not moving. As if they were searching for something and were on the very edge of finding out what it was. Until the laughter from the other room resounded in the kitchen.

Ben was the first to clear his throat and begin his walk in circles. Rey resumed in her search for the wine rack.

Not a single word, until she passed by him.

He reached for her arm, stopping her entirely on her tracks. He was too close to her, she could breathe his air as his fingers dugs into the soft flesh of her arm. She looked up at the rich color of his eyes, totally falling for the way it appeared to swirl in waves. His lips were plump and pink, fresh as the sudden urge of wanting to bite crept inside her..

Maybe the wine is starting to kick in.

“Your mother is the mayor?”

Like that the sudden tension disappeared liked smoke, Rey and her awful way of ruining good moments. Ben winced and let go of her arm, swinging his arms behind him.

“You see, there are many things you don’t know about me.”

Her cheeks tingled as she was pretty sure they were crimson by now. “I should probably add to the job application another tab. The question with big letter, ‘are you important?’ and below, ‘what do your parents do for a living?”

Ben watched the girl as she giggled at her horrid idea, and it hit Ben how they knew nothing of each other. He really didn’t want to go to prison.

“I know nothing about you, like actually no personal information of you. Other than how you like your coffee or at what time you like to go to the gym.” Ben recalled his planner back at home in NY with the spaces between 6 am and 8am booked for her daily gym classes.

“I don’t even know when your birthday is!” said Ben shocked as his hands started to grip the roots of his hairs.

She was about to respond when Leia entered the kitchen with a too big smile on her face, indicating how much fun they were having without them.

“There you are lovebirds!” she practically shouted. “You two still have to spill the tea over how you proposed!”

Rey tried not to cringe as she looked back and forth between Leia and Ben.

“Yes, and how you two fell in love!” yelled Padmé from the living room.

It was Ben who started to make excuses for both of them but Leia didn’t hear a word as she dragged the two into the living room, each arms of hers tangled in the pair. The crowd cheered once in the presence of the hosts.

“Tell us the stories, babies later!” said Han back in his couch as he smiled at the couple.

-

Rey felt like she was back in kindergarten, except that this time she was the one to do the story time. She sat next to Ben in a couch meant just for the two of them as the other guests simply surrounded them with joyful eyes.

“Well?” said Maz after ten minutes of pure silence. “Tell us how you two met.”

“That’s easy. I needed a job, so I went to the best publisher in NY and the presented my curriculum vitae and was accepted for a job. Next thing you know I get the job as the assistant of the executive chief.” He said rapidly as if to avoid questions.

“Ben, you are awful at this." said Leia giving him a pointed stare, turning to face Rey instead. "Rey, tell us how you knew you were in love with my boy” asked Leia as she sat beside her husband.

Rey felt her cheeks tingle as the sudden heat was aiming to redden each cheekbone. “I don’t know.” She croaked.

Padmé smiled warmly at Rey as she cleared her throat to speak. “There must be a moment when you just know. A moment when everything just seems good and right.”

Her eyes twinkled in memory, a tale she always loved to tell. “I knew I loved my husband, Anakin, a few months after his return from military school.”

“You see, he was younger than me and I had plans and a bright future with them,” she said every word with utter adoration. “When we met at first we were just good friends and colleagues, then he left to military school and I didn’t see him until ten years later.”

The room seemed much warmer in the cool night of Alaska as Padmé told the story, every person in the room totally emerged in the beautiful Mama Pad.

“I was set to marry a senator at that time as my own career developed. Ani was sent to be my guardian as many attempted against my fiancé and myself, but I could always stand for myself.”

Rey watched as Padmé stroked a wooden pendant with weird carvings and lifted it to her lips to place a small kiss at the top.

“He believed in me, he knew it was his duty to protect me but at the same time he was proud of me. I soon learned the wrongdoings of my fiancé and the engagement was broken."

"I knew I loved Anakin, but what made me realize my fulfilled love was a night when he hugged me to sleep when one of the fires opened in my estate. He took hold of me and whispered beautiful memories of the two of us. I knew then that if it were in his arms I wouldn’t be afraid to die.”

Leia was already in tears as she curled her hand against Han’s, her head resting safely in his chest.

“He is dead and I know my time will come. I just hope that when that day comes it will be Ani the one to take my soul with him.”

Padmé smiled at herself, the pendant still firm in her grasp. She turned and kept the warm smile as she looked at Rey who was now wiping furious tears of guilt.

“So, when did you realize that you loved Ben Solo?”

How could she now lie to such a lovely lady and make her believe whatever story compared to the one she just told?

Ben cleared his throat and glanced back at Rey, his eyes not knowing what to do at the moment.

“I think it was a Monday,” croaked Rey in the tiniest voice, some even had to get closer to her in order to hear something.

“He entered the office and gave me coffee, he knows just how I like it. He mumbled something about the weather and then joked about how it is really hard for him to find clothes so big.” Every eyes turned to her, as if swallowing the information. Rey tried not to shiver or agitate at the attention of the certain pair of eyes at her left.

“I love the serenity and smoothness of a good day. I felt so tranquil and in peace even when his soft laughs clouded the space, it felt...,right.” She said letting a breath escape for once, her eyes meeting the brown intensity of his, full of warmth.

“What about you, Ben?”

He just stared at her, never breaking the eyesight. His mouth suddenly dry as if he had never tasted water before.

Never in the years he had lived in Sitka had he ever felt this kind of warmth in home. He let go of Rey’s gaze as he looked back at the loving eyes of his grandmother, the woman who had loved her husband dearly, even in death.

“There was no moment.” He said plainly, breaking completely the air in the room. “I just…,” he shook his head at looked back at Rey whose gaze had fallen at the ground. “I always knew.”

He felt like he was going to suffocate in any moment.

“How did you propose?” said one of the guests in the crowd.

Rey didn’t feel like lying anymore, her heart felt shattered. These persons were eating a web of poison she had as an idea and the poison was soaking her skin. The guilt made it hard to swallow.

Ben took the question for her.

“I know Rey loves to read-“

“That’s my job.” she mumbled.

“Yes, well. I thought, what is the best idea? Yes, a book!”

Some of the guests laughed at Ben’s imitation of a bulb light turning on his head, Rey watched with a smile.

“I didn’t harm a book if that’s what you are all wondering.”

“Did you?” asked Rey in defiance.

Ben rolled his eyes at her direction. “As I was saying, I made a 300 page original story and gave her the draft. I knew she would read the draft since I –her beloved boyfriend- had given her the draft personally.”

Rey laughed, truly and loud. He was still pressing on his story.

“Original? Please Ben, even a kid could have made a story like that!”

“Hey! You said you didn’t even read my draft!”

Rey opened her eyes as plates, she had totally forgotten the lie she had told him.

“I might have read the first two chapters. Enough to tell me what a bad story it was.”

Ben felt offended, he had poured his heart to that draft and truly believed in what a good story it was, not like those YA novels that even got movies produced.

He felt his ears turn red with annoyance.

“Well, since you didn’t read anything, go ahead and finish the story!”

He turned in his seat as she kept on laughing in hers. When she finished did she remember she still had a tale to end.

“Please Ben, don’t get mad.” she said placing her small palm on his back and squeezed hard, earning a growl of pain as he turned around and rolled his eyes.

“So, since she didn’t finish the draft I might as well say that she skipped to the end as any bad reader.”

Maz smiled. “I’m one of those!” she yelled.

“Oh yes, the ending was the best!” said Rey as she sipped the last of her wine.

“At the very bottom it said. ‘Will you marry me?”

Leia was now a hurricane of feelings as she stood and hugged the couple, tears streaming down like a river.

“I am so proud of you, my boy!” she sobbed against Ben’s chest.

Suddenly it was round two of hugging the new lovebirds again as everyone stood and clapped.

When it was Maz’s turn to hug the couple she turned to Ben and smiled, but a crease extended over her forehead as she glanced down at Rey’s bare hand.

“Where is the ring?” she said loudly.

Like that, every face turned to them.

Ben stoked his hair in awkwardness as he once hoped that no one would notice. But, leave it to Maz to notice the smallest detail.

“I don’t wear jewelry, I’m a simple girl.” said Rey before Ben could even form a lie in his head.

Padmé broke from the crowd with a frown in her face as Ben scowled at himself, ready for whatever she was going to say. Obviously to object at the statement of no ring.

But Leia loved her son and knew just how emotionally exhausted he must have been at the moment, for she grabbed her mother by the shoulders and smiled.

“Mom, let Ben be. They must be so tired from the flight and so much wine, let’s leave them to rest now.”

“Fine.” Agreed Padmé as she then just placed a kiss on her grandson’s cheek and caressed the soft skin.

When she turned to hug Rey the lady squeezed her tightly, murmuring in her ear a soft word that Rey wasn’t sure she heard right. “Thank You.”

“Well, the weekend is booked and it is just Friday!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me :)  
> twitter / @ korloov  
> tumblr / korlovv-writes  
> you can also check my kofi for more info about the story♡


	6. Bed bugs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *MAYBE SOME TRIGGERS*  
> Just some mentions of abuse from the past.

Ben wanted to laugh at the wrinkled face Rey had at the moment, but he wouldn’t do it for his mother would probably smack his head. No matter what she did, Leia seemed to have no interest in whatever excuse she had. It was always no. Ever since his mother led them toward the guest room route he knew just what she planned, and it took all of his will power no to laugh at the situation. He definitely wanted to do just that.

“Please, I don’t want to be a nuisance in this home. Ben can stay here and pass the night with his family. I am really unnecessary in this situation.” said Rey for the fifth time now. Leia kept shaking her head.

“You are part of this family now, Rey. I will not let my future daughter in law stay in God knows what kind of stinky hotel!” Leia walked over the bed and placed another kiss on her son’s forehead before whispering only to him. “She’s got spirit!”

At this he laughed, soft and low. It was as if Leia was scolding herself but in another body, the person of Rey. He proceeded to take his boot off and tuck the quilt from under the pillows, he wrapped himself in the warmth as he observed Rey still planted at the door immovable. Leia spared Rey another heart-filled smile as she placed one more kiss on her cheek.

“Anyway, all hotels are closed now, none are 24 hours here because we don’t get much visitors. Stay for the night and tomorrow both of you decide what to do.” Like that she left the room.

Rey wasn’t used to losing battles, and losing her first to her future mother in law was exhausting. She let a growl leave her mouth as she threw herself at the base of the bed, her head hitting with his too big feet. What was it with this family? She kept thinking.

Her anger kept rising as she stared at the smile Ben had plastered on his face, eyes closed as if deep sleep with the best of dreams. She grabbed the nearest pillow and proceeded to beat Ben in the most aggressive pillow fight she ever had.

The first smack hit him hard in the jaw, the other in his nose and the next in his cheek as he took in the small devil blowing with anger and force. She wanted to end him with pillows and hits, to make him eat every feather of the pillow in her hands. In the heat of her torrid attack she didn’t notice she had climbed on top of his lap until his legs pushed her closer to his clothed chest, letting him plant her wrist down against each other.

“Stop it!” he hissed at her face, the warmth of his breath attacking her. She stayed still at their nearness and clenched her jaw at the threat.

She took deep breath as she rolled over to the unused space in the bed, her shoes were still on and her nightwear was still in her luggage. “So far, I hate your family.” She whispered.

Ben nodded at the ceiling. “You are not the first.”

That made Rey turn to him, his face remained earnest as his chest lifted at a slow beat.

Rey thought Ben adored his family, she knew he did. The way he would look at his mother with so much respect and warmth could not be faked. Not to mention the way he would melt under the fragile arms of his grandmother.

“You love your family. That I know with just one day.”

He turned, his face grim under the low lamplight, his frown visible at her eyes. “You know nothing about me. That I know with two years of working with you.”

It shouldn’t hurt as much as it actually did to Rey. Something had changed since the moment she climbed that airplane and spent almost 24 hours with him, and mostly since that night that she shared a small piece of her comfort zone with the entirety of his family. She gulped at the force of his eyes, so rich and dark judging her in a silent way.

“Well, now that we are discussing family issues. What about you?” he said sliding closer to her, only the quilt separating the two bodies. “Nobody in the building knows anything about you. Only that you are some wicked devil who likes to taunt and spell everyone.” His voice becoming harsher with every word, his face coming closer to her zone.

Rey’s heart was beating at light speed inside her chest, his words opening the wound that had costed her many time to heal. But Ben didn’t care as her eyes started to rim red, he didn’t alter his choice of words as her small body scooted down under the bed.

He knew he should’ve left things as they were. But he was mad and irritated.

“You like to exploit every worker under your command, and once they do your will you don’t even say thanks. You want things your way and yet you give nothing in return. A simple ‘Thank You’ can change many things.” His voice remained low, making Rey shiver.

“You are an awful person and you know that. You take pride in it and it’s disgusting.” His ears were bright red as the anger clouded his mind. “You may be the boss, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat your employees as if they were nothing. Some of us have to work hard, crack our life for it.”

_You are a disgusting person, Rey._

That was the meaning hidden between the hurtful words.

With the small pride still sheltered inside herself she wiped the lone tears that had streamed down her cheeks. The wound completely exposed now. She turned her gaze and climbed out of the bed, walking to the bathroom in the room as she closed the door with lock behind her.

-

In the safety of four walls she slid to the ground and permitted herself to cry as much as she wanted. His words clouding her heart, combusting inside the ripped particles that remained.

It had taken most of her life to form a shell around herself, so no one could tear her again, so no one could hurt her ever. But a little check of reality ripped her in shreds again. Hurtful words that hurt her in many ways.

_You are a disgusting person, Rey._

No one wanted her. A stray orphan with no one to fend for her, no one’s problem. _You are so disgusting, that’s why your own parent’s didn’t even want you. It was a twist of the knife inside herself. You are disgusting, so you deserve every disgusting thing that has ever happened to you._

She cried until her heart felt swollen and her eyes tired of shedding tears, the sobs never ending. Her small body crumpled against the door practically invisible in the darkness of the room.

“Rey?” she heard his voice on the other side of the door, his tone low and much more broken. “I’m sorry”

How easy it was to say those words and fix everything. How many times hadn’t she heard those same words after she had taken the worst beating under the hands of her foster parent. She hated those words because they were never sincere, it always led to a few moment of peace before they committed the error once again.

She didn’t answer.

“I got carried away with my own emotions.” She heard his voice closer, as if he was leaning against the door. “I really am sorry. You are a great boss. You do get carried away, but you love your job for sure.”

Ben had felt the guilt strike him when he saw her lock herself inside the bathroom, and then it had made him a terrible person when he heard the sobs still inside. He hated himself at the moment.

He had let his anger cloud his thoughts and it had paid against the small girl that wept in the darkness of the bathroom. Ben sat in the bed pulling his hair from the roots, pulling until it ached as if that could cloud the sound of Rey still in the bathroom.

He heard no sound emerge from the other side of the door after he had said he was sorry, the door would still not open. He sighed and slid to the ground, his broad back resting against the cold wooden door. Maybe he deserved to be treated awfully. He just made his future wife cry.

He knew he should’ve left things as they were. But he was mad and irritated with himself.

“Rey, please.” He needed to know that she was fine, or at least recovering. “You are the most dedicated person I know. It is an honor to work with you, I will do anything in my power to make our work shine.”

It was past 2 in the morning and they were still up.

“You are amazing, Rey. And even if you are sometimes black-hearted, people seem to respect you, to admire you.” he recalled the times his co-workers would just stare at Rey as she passed down the hallways, how Holdo would smile at Rey and proclaim she was the best at her work. All the books she had published that soon became bestsellers.

“My family already likes you. They melted at sight of your smile and that cheeky laugh you have.”

No sound emerged from the bathroom. He was afraid she would have done something awful in there, and sleeping in the cold floor was no good either.

“You know, my mother is the mayor of little Sitka. She has strings all over the U.S. and you think not one owner of a hotel would open any hotel at the time and hour she demanded?” Ben said as a small smile tugged on his lips as he remembered the wink her mother gave him before leaving the room.

“Not to mention that the Solo family is practically the owner of every shop and commerce in this town. She could go with her keys and open a hotel only for you.”

Not that she would do that, not when she was begging Ben for grandchildren.

“On another hand, I still have my room in this house and there are plenty of other lone rooms. You were condemned to stay with me since the beginning.”

Ben knew the fate of Rey once he saw the exchanging glances his mother and grandmother shared.

“But I’m stupid and I’ve now put you in a very stupid situation. I’m sorry.”

He closed his eyes as the silence filled the air.

“I’m sorry.”

He didn’t want to admit just how conflicted his own heart felt at the moment. It was that same sentiment he wanted to avoid for years, why he never returned to his family.

“I’m sorry.”

He was sorry to Rey, to his mother, his grandmother, his father. To failing himself.

“I’m sorry.”

Was the last thing he said as he slipped to sleep against the cold door.

-

Rey waited in the darkness until she heard no other noise but the sound of the wind rustling outside the windows for her to open the door. She was surprised to see a very exhausted Ben sleeping in the ground with no quilt around him. As he slipped to the ground he did not wake up, that leaving Rey to step over him in order to exit the bathroom.

Even if she heard every word Ben had to say, it had not modified the decision she was to take. She would have to reforce her own armor and nobody would crack her ever again.

She grabbed a folded blanket and extended it over Ben’s large body, making sure his feet were tucked under the soft fabric.

“I hate you.” She murmured as she bended over his body and stroked the silky strand of hair that strayed across his smooth face.

Without a sentiment she climbed in the large bed and wrapped herself in the wrinkled quilt which still smelled like the man who slept in the ground. Still warm from his body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me :)  
> twitter / @ korloov  
> tumblr / korlovv-writes  
> you can also check my kofi for more info about the story♡


	7. Piece of cake

He woke up to the sound of laughter somewhere in the distance, it remind him of sunny mornings with his mother. He smiled to himself, content with the idea of a jovial lunch until he recognized one laugh was different than all the rest. He recognized the others, but this one was far more intruding than the rest.

He snapped his eyes open as the sun leaked into the windows, the light injuring his dazed eyes. No sooner than later did his back began to scream in pain as the cold of the floor soaked through the warm skin of his back.

He didn’t remember at what moment he drifted into deep sleep nor when he suddenly had a blanket wrapped around his too long body. But he did remember the harsh words he told Rey just the night before; guilt seared through his mind as hot red burned his ears in pity.

When he stood from the cold floor he noticed how alone he was in the room, no sound or sight of her but the ricocheting sound of giggles somewhere away. Her scent still lingered around the bedsheets of the ruffled bed.

He took his time in the bathroom and an equal amount in the shower as if trying to buy time or to formulate the best apology in the cascading shower rain. His best idea included in humiliating himself in front of his family because Rey loved to be amused. He emerged into the kitchen looking freshly dressed in the dark grey sweater Rey had complimented once in work, maybe she would notice how bad he felt.

She didn’t.

She stopped laughing the moment he entered the small kitchen, her smile totally falling from her face only to turn into a snarl. He watched as she sipped her coffee in a bitter face as if it was the worst coffee ever. It wasn’t the coffee, it was him.

“About time you wake up, my dear ray of hope” said Padmé as she moved away from the kitchen to hug Ben down against her fragile chest.

The old lady drowned Ben’s face in tender kisses, all staining his pale face with faint rouge lipstick. When she was satisfied with her kisses did she let go of the giant in her arms. It was Leia’s laugh that resounded through the room as Ben stared confused into the tiny form of his mother, a frown forming in his forehead. As much as Rey hated Ben at the moment she couldn’t resist but giggle as she slipped her phone out from her pocket.

_Snap!_

Ben looked like some allergic deer caught in headlights in the middle of the road at midnight, eyes as wide as he looked directly at Rey who couldn’t stop from laughing as she showed the picture to Leia.

“Ben, my boy. Why are you so adorable?” said Leia between giggles.

He simply rolled his eyes as he reached for a napkin from the counter, taking a seat on the breakfast bar next to Rey.

It was as if someone constantly poured honey into her mouth as her body reacted to his warmth, the smell of fresh pine.

In the night after she left Ben in the floor and curled herself in the warm sheets of the bed she realized how acclimated she was to his smell. While most of her normal nights she would have to spray lavender all over her room to gain some relaxation and later count to hundred only to find solace of sleep into late three am.

That night when she was warm in bed she noticed how it all smelled like him, the faintness of some cologne he often wears and the mix of pinewood from his laundry softener. She knew that smell from memory, she closed her eyes and there they were back in her office in NY. While she read drafts he would usually be sitting across from her typing silently into his laptop, no words exchanged just shallow breaths.

It was until in the morning that she realized how soundly she had slept through out the night.

Yet, that didn’t change how little they knew about each other nor how bruised her heart felt at the moment.

“How did you two sleep?” asked Leia with a melody in her voice.

Ben lifted his sore muscles rotating them from side to side to ease the pain, cracking his neck in the process. He was about to make a bad joke when Rey cut all intention from him.

“Horrible,” Rey said placing her empty mug in the sink behind her. “Your son definitely is the worst when it comes to making a woman feel…good.”

She bore her eyes into the pair of brown ones who stared with the same intensity, eyes squinting at the challenge. This time it was Han the one to laugh as he entered the kitchen and overheard Rey’s unconformity.

Han spilled some tea as he tried to serve himself, yet the low rise of his shoulders every time he gasped for air made it difficult for him. He turned to Ben and ruffled his hair only to make him turned redder that the beet he already was.

“Can’t imagine how excited you are for the wedding night.” said Han leaving the kitchen once again.

The self-control in Ben was about to be lost as he eyed the greedy woman smirk under his gaze, her eyes glinting with malice as if she had won.

He was about to scream and wreck but he remained himself as he recalled her sobs late that night in the bathroom. The soft pain slowly easing the anger inside him.

“Don’t worry Ben, you two have time to practice and get better!”

Rey laughed out loud as Padmé wiggled her eyebrows between the two.

“I don’t think so, gran. Ben is very...difficult” she said with a smile.

“I’m still here” croacked Ben.

The three of the woman turned to stare at him as if he was intruding a special scene, and maybe he was.

Leia was the last to finish her cup of coffee as she stood from her stool, and took some keys from a very colorful keychain.

“We need to go shopping, sweetheart. Mind to take us to town? Plus, Rey has not seen the entirety of the village yet.” she placed the keys in Ben’s open hand and then turned to watch Rey. “You will love it.”

-

Rey was a city girl. She grew up in the bussing streets of London always interacting with business man who would tempt their hearts and lend Rey some spare coins as she begged in the streets. She winced at the memory and centered herself into trying to enjoy the view and the smooth streets.

The streets were not wide at all and the pavement wasn’t even pavement, it was all filled with beautiful rocks that damaged her beautiful shoes. Not to mention that the signal was worse as they got further into town and there was no internet café near. Rey just hoped things back at the Resistance Co. would be calm, and Simon would have saved his draft for her.

She watched as Leia and Padmé (each woman clinging on each of Ben’s arm) walked through the town in complete peace as if they did this every weekend, totally ignoring Rey as she walked behind them.

“Look, Lando’s café is open!” pointed Padmé to a small store busting with music and the scent of roasted coffee beans. “Do you want to go get your favorite?”

Ben smiled as he nodded, walking toward the store. “In all my time in NY I have never tasted madeleines so good like his”

When they entered the small building Rey was surprised to see how packed every corner was, full of elder people and small children stuffing their stomachs with cream puffs.

A dark average height man exited the main kitchen but stopped entirely as he strode toward them with dancing eyes.

“Beautiful Leia!” greeted Lando as he bowed to kiss Leia’s hand.

The man was old like Han but he was more refined in every movement, not to mention how well dressed he seemed. He turned and placed another chaste kiss on Padmé’s hand as he smiled at her. When he stood to look at Ben the smile grew wider and his hands were immediately wrapped around his back.

Rey could easy notice how uncomfortable Ben seemed at the sudden hug, his huge body tight under Lando. When he released him the man still hung on Ben’s broad arm.

“Boy, how long has it been since you stepped into my coffee shop?”

Leia smiled at the scene, it was noted to Rey that he was a family friend.

“He was 15 when he decided he was ‘too old to be eating sugar sweets”

Ben was suddenly red again as his eyes traced back to Rey whom stood a few feet away from the scene, as if feeling like an intruder. Lando followed his gaze.

“Who is this beauteous dame?” he asked as he strode toward her.

She was ready to flee from the store when he grasped her hand and stared at her in awe. Leia cleared her throat to grab his attention.

“Don’t even think about it, Lando. This is Rey, Ben’s fiancé”

His eyes went wide, the grin along with it. He glanced at Ben and then back at her, the glee transmitting through the sound of music.

“You are getting married, strafighter?” 

“ _Starfighter?_ ” asked Rey as she looked at Ben.

Lando was the one to explain as he led her back to Ben, placing her hand in his.

“When Ben was a toddler I would visit him so often that I became an uncle to him, and he like a son to me. I used to name him my little Starfighter, but he eventually chose his route of life and,” The sudden contact of Ben’s hand made Rey’s body shiver as he wrapped his too big hand around her small fingers. “Apparently it has brought him where he needs to be.”

Rey could feel the blush seeping through her cheeks as her gaze fell to the floor, the sudden heat making it hard to think. “I think I need coffee.”

Padmé nodded as she took a place in a vacant table and motioned for the others to sit, only then did Ben’s hand unleashed itself from her grasp. The cold air stinging the spot where his palm was.

“I will bring some hot cocoa and the madeleines I know young Mr. Ben so loves” he was about to go fetch the order but stopped midway, turning with a bright smile against his dark skin.

“I will bake the wedding cake!” he shouted.

-

“Have you two planned the wedding date?” asked Leia as she bit into her warm madeleine, eyeing Rey suspiciously.

Rey kept quiet as she sipped her hot cocoa, burning her tongue in the process. “It will be soon, but not…too soon.”

“Nonsense my dear!” huffed Padmé setting down her chocolate with force. “I won’t last long!”

“Grandma, please” whispered Ben behind his cocoa cup.

It felt weird to be intimidated by an elder lady with twisted buns in her hair, but this was the Solo-Skywalker family and everyone seemed intimidated by them. She unwrapped her pastry and smiled at the joke, Ben still faintly blushed from it.

_‘Madeleines for everyone?” had asked Lando before setting the cocoa cups. Rey was feeling brave and she would not let go of an opportunity for payback to get to Ben. Of course this would not eliminate her anger at all, but it would ease just for a bit._

_‘I actually want another pastry’ she said and turned to Ben abruptly. ‘I want what Ben has.’_

_He wrinkled his forehead and stared at Rey not knowing at all for what she meant. This was a bad idea, doing it infront of his family. But hell, she really wanted to do it._

_She cupped Ben’s face totally taking him aback as she stroked his cheek with utter care and softness. It didn’t last._

_She reached for his ears and cradled them in her hand, then she turned to Lando._

_‘I want elephant ears.’_

“What about the end of the year? Is that a good date for the wedding?” she said taking a playful bite at the pastry.

Padmé shook her small head vigorously, pouting her lips in the process.

“End of the month.”

“No, it’s too soon.”

The sooner she married Ben the easier it would be to get those agents off her back, yet she had business to do. The Dameron deal was in a few months and she would risk anything for it, she was sure those rats at First Order Publisher would be behind it too.

There was no time for planning a wedding.

“What about in two months?” offered Leia.

“We can’t. There is a very chunky deal we need to cover at work in just a few months. We – I – don’t have time to plan a wedding!”

“Don’t you worry about that, my dear!” said Leia as she wrapped her sugar coated fingers around Rey’s wrist. “We will do all the planning!” she eyed Padmé who smiled like blessed by heaven.

“You’re sure?” she asked, totally not liking the idea.

It took all of her self-control to not scrunch her face at the idea, to not wince as they lifted from their seat and hugged Rey tightly. That was the answer she would receive as a yes. Her face still unmovable as the ladies placed kisses all over her face just as they had been on Ben’s face.

Which talking about, he stared at the scene with soft eyes as something warmed inside his chest. It had been a very long time since he had come back to his native home and actually enjoyed the presence of his family. The mere thought of his family would always make him feel sorrowful and then mad with them, only to end frustrated and angry with himself.

But in that moment, in the warmth of the café and the sound of the laughter of his family he felt for the first time happy and in peace.

He was stupid enough to think that things were fine between Rey and him, for he stood from his seat and embraced the three woman into his far bigger arms. Just under his chin was the small form of his grandmother leaving Rey direct entrance to stare at his eyes. Her head just mere inches from his long nose.

Standing there in a group hug the scents were more powerful. The smell of cinnamon which emanated from Padmé and the mix of pinewood stronger than the others.

The world seemed to quiet down as she stared into his eyes, the swirls of brown melting like chocolate. She hated this man with fierce and uncontained glory. She wanted to choke him right there infront of his family and then proceed to tear him apart with just buttery madeleines.

Yet, she also wanted to crawl into the warmth of his sweater and sleep for a week with that smell she was so fond of. She wanted to stay in the coziness he emanated and drink coffee as she read.

“I hate you.” She mouthed at him, eyes unmoving.

Leia broke the hug as she grabbed Rey’s shoulders and seated her back in the table, excitement emanating from her eyes.

“I know the best of designers here in Sitka, your dress will be so beautiful, my love!”

“You can use the barn at home for the reception, and...”

“Barn?” croaked Rey.

“While we are here, what flavor would you like the wedding cake to be?”

That was the one decision she could make without fear, an easy decision.

“ _Swiss Mint_ ” said Ben

“ _Strawberry Shortcake_ ” replied Rey

“What?” huffed Rey as she looked back at Ben with half-closed eyelids.

Ben stared back with challenge.

“I hate strawberry!” he argued.

But Rey loved to argue, she was good at that.

“Well, I hate mint!” she said, crossing her arms infront of her chest.

Leia glance back at Padmé, excitement easing down as they looked back at the lovely couple.

“What about chocolate?” tested Ben

“Or lemon?”

“No!” he said shaking his head from side to side. “It’s a wedding, not some picnic party!”

Leia wondered how these two could have fallen in love and plan to get married when they also fought like two toddlers. Then she realized it was probably like seeing herself getting married to Han once again.

The tension eased as Leia broke into laughter, looking at the youth with so much love.

“I can already see your future as a couple.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me :)  
> twitter / @ korloov  
> tumblr / korlovv-writes  
> you can also check my kofi for more info about the story♡


	8. Kiss wish

Relief, just another 12 more hours and they would be on their way back to NY, as planned. For the night Rey would have to pose as the pretty little fiancé she was, her arm entwined with Ben’s.

She sat on the beauty stool as the hairdresser curled her small hair, leaving it in perfect shape. Tonight would be the engagement party she didn’t ask for, one that Leia was happily planning as she shoved Rey into the beauty salon about an hour ago.

Her phone buzzed as an incoming call entered, one she was expecting every single day. Poe Dameron.

“What does my favorite pilot say?” answered Rey with a jubilant tone as Poe laughed at the end of the line.

“It’s been months since I’ve last heard your voice, Rey. I’ve heard you are getting married! How dare you NOT tell me?” he whimpered falsely.

She was amazed by how fast the information was spread. “It’s happening all too quick! My engagement party is tonight.”

“WHITH SCARY SOLO!!!”

“Poe, calm down. It’s not the first time someone falls for their secretary!”

The hairdresser behind Rey cracked a smile as she nodded at her through the mirror.

His voice was smooth and light; always the charm boy. “You know that man scares the hell out of me”

“He is a very efficient and smart man. But, you did not call me because of my wedding, am I wrong?”

Poe sucked in air and the line was suddenly too quiet.

“First Order Co. has contacted me more than three times now. We need to sign that contract as soon as possible.”

Rey groaned and rolled her eyes, those people would not rest until they reached for anything that would downhill Resistance Co.

“When I get back to New York I will call you, set the date and start the publishing contract. Dameron, don’t let those rats touch your draft!”

“All of this is for you, Rey. It’s a shame you chose to engage yourself to your tall death mannequin.”

Rey laughed full heartedly at her phone, imagining Poe and the hurtful face he was likely doing. She was enjoying their chat that she didn’t notice Ben staring at her through the mirror. He was leaning against the wooden door as commercial bags hang from his big arms. His eyes lit up as she stared at him, her smile still on her lips.

“Talking of the king of fools, Ben is here. Would you like to say hi?” said Rey to Poe.

“No thank you!” he faked excitement through the phone. “Have a great time Rey, and call me when you get to NY.”

When the hairdresser was happy with the way Rey’s curls popped she nodded for her to go. Once out of the salon she tried to peak at the bags but was met with Ben’s hard stare.

“You can’t look. Strict orders from Mama Pad.” He said, shoving Rey’s face away. “By the way, why am I the king of fools?”

Rey thought of an answer but only one thing crossed her mind. “Because only a fool would marry the one person he hates.”

He looked at her with soft eyes, taking in the freckled features and soft skin. He has always been aware of how beautiful Rey was, but never had he ever thought of it as much as he recently did. They walked to the exit at a good two feet apart, when they reached the old rusty truck did Ben actually respond her statement.

“I don’t hate you. I think you are a very brave woman, not afraid of the challenge.” He mumbled to her in the safety of the insides of the truck. Rey looked at him and for the first time it felt as if this was the most correct thing in the world. As if the man beside her was always meant to say such things and she to express her true thoughts.

But Rey was Rey.

“Ben, if I would have wanted compliments I could have just asked.” She lifted an eyebrow and clapped soundly. “Off we go, I still need to get changed.”

He rolled his eyes at the woman, ever the so insistent awful boss. But what he recently said was true. Ben didn’t hate her as much as he did last week, in fact he was growing on her. If he truly hated her then he wouldn’t search for her all the time or wonder how she feels every second.

There was not a single drop of hate that he could say on her name. Maybe annoyance, but not hate.

-

The evening was fresh and the soft rumble of people chased Rey through the room. It had been about in hour ago that they returned from the beauty salon and after Ben’s words the day had turned worse for Rey. She loved what he said, it made her feel special and good, because it was true. She was a strong woman, but it took Rey many trial and error to be the woman she now was. And many suffering.

What bothered Rey the most was that it was Ben who said it. The one person who could make her doubt herself, who could reopen her internal wounds and then softly lick them with kind words. She was a mountain and this man was slowly scraping rocks of it.

A knock sounded through the door and she just hoped it wasn’t Ben.

It was Padmé. She smiled at Rey and walked right through with a blue dress resting on her fragile arm.

“I’ve brought you something you can use for tonight. I was thinking of how special this occasion is that I brought you one of my old dresses.”

They displayed the dress over the bed and Rey wanted to cry. The dress was beautiful and well conserved, it had different shades of blue and round yellow designs. It looked as if the dress was taken from some futuristic movie. 

“Mama Pad, I can’t. This dress must mean so much for you and…I can’t” said Rey softly.

Padmé smiled and sat next to the dress.

“When Leia was born I inherited all of my precious belongings to her. But she is very different, she is much more like her father. And when she got pregnant of Ben, well my dresses went into the closet again.”

Rey touched the fabric slightly and nodded, listening to the words.

“I thought I would never see these dresses in use again, but now I have a new daughter. Please wear it!”

How could Rey say no?

In less than ten minutes Leia and Maz were already in her room, all fascinated with the dress and how gorgeous she looked in it. It felt nice and warm to be surrounded by people who didn’t feel threatened by her, by people who actually enjoyed her company.

When they all decided that Rey was ready they let her go to the party, which had already started without her.

The reception would be held at the open air in the roofed terrace of the Solo’s. When she arrived it appeared that half of Sitka was there. They all hushed and marveled at Rey, she truly felt her part as a future bride.

The clinking of glass caught her attention as Leia overlooked the crowd, a champagne glass between her small fingers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we are here in the lovely residence of the Solo-Skywalker’s in honor of my son and Rey. But who am I if this is not my love story.” She said as the guest laughed with her. “Come on Ben, stop staring at her. You will have the rest of your life to contemplate your future bride.”

Everyone turned to look at Ben which stood a few feet next to Leia, his eyes locked on Rey. It appeared he was mute until he coughed a couple of times. His eyes were only centered on her as he cleared his throat, making Rey slowly blush under his gaze. He was dressed in a black outfit, his signature color. His face cleaned shaved after a long week of letting his baby beard hairs grow.

“I…um…I am getting engaged.” He mumbled more to himself than to the crowd.

Leia smiled as she pinched Ben under the arm, which seemed to get him out of trance.

“I started to work for Rey Kenobi about two years ago, and trust me she was and still is a pain in the ass.”

The guests laughed, all enjoying a good story.

“The first year I thought, ‘this woman is crazy. She has no life outside her work and definitely is unhappy.’ I must admit, the first years I was secretly hoping a truck would run her over. It obviously didn’t happen.”

Rey wasn’t sure if she was liking were this was going, she walked forward getting each time closer to Ben.

“The second year though, things changed. I learned to respect this woman, to admire her.”

That stopped Rey in her tracks.

“I always thought she was a work alcoholic, that she must have been the devil itself. But then I started to understand her, to work with her. Not for her, but with her.”

He chugged the bottom of his champagne and continued. “I know now what an amazing person she is. And all of this is for you. I regret all the harsh words I’ve said, and the ones that will come out of my mouth someday. I’m not perfect, but I hope I get there with you at my side.”

Han laughed loudly, interrupting Ben. “Damn right!”

The air suddenly turned warm and Rey felt like crumbling. This was too much for her heart, the small organ was never meant to carry such feelings.

“I don’t have a ring so I offer you my most pretty words.”

The guests all swooned in delight looking from Ben to Rey, the warmth filling the empty spaces. The waiters started to spread fresh champagne as a round of applause took place. The started to push the couple closer until they were face to face. Ben bent down to whisper into Rey’s ear.

“Hope that does it for my mistake yesterday night. Now everyone believes our little lie.”

His voice sent shivers down her spine, but the words only crushed the flower blooming inside herself. She smiled wickedly at him.

“I knew you were too good to be true.”

Ben stared at Rey, his eyes moving from her eyes to her lips. The closeness tempted him in many ways, he leaned down to whisper again but this time his heart was pounding in his chest.

“You look beautiful tonight.”

Rey didn't know what to answer to that. She opted to stay quiet. 

“Now, show us a kiss!” said Maz at full volume.

Rey froze and looked at Maz with horror.

“Yes!” agreed Padmé behind her.

“No, I don’t think so” contradicted Ben.

“Come on, it’s not like you’ve never given your fiancé a kiss in public!” retorted Leia.

 _Well, actually…_ thought Rey.

“Show us how the new kids give a kiss” said Padmé again.

The crowd cheered in agreement and Rey felt like blanking out. She looked back at Ben who was just as frightened as her, but the more time they took the longer they would press. She grabbed his hand and interlaced their fingers, she looked into his frightened gaze and mumbled. ‘do it’ in hopes that it would be fast and they could get over with it.

Ben counted until ten and took in some fresh air. He didn’t want to do it, even if he had spent most of the day thinking about doing just that.

He reached for her cheek and cupped it in his big palm, the touch sending shivers down Rey’s spine. He leaned his face down into the soft breaths of Rey’s, and just as slow as breathing he placed his lips over hers. The pressure of the set of lips on top of each other made it uncomfortable and weird, mostly unnatural.

“GO ON!!” screamed Maz at the top of her lungs.

Rey had no idea of what to do, and the only thing that sounded right at the moment was to open her mouth. That’s when she got to taste the actual force of Ben’s lips. What started as a horrible kiss slowly took form into a real kiss.

She closed her eyes and focused on the soft skin that were Ben Solo’s lips and the slight pass of his sweet tongue. Ben on the other hand felt as if their mouths were to combust into a firecracker. She tasted sweet in his mouth, as if cherry wine was made out of her.

When the applause resounded loudly did they go back to earth, breaking the kiss in a slow painful way. 

Rey was blushing to no extent, hiding her face from Ben’s.

Ben was out of breath and his mind a whirlwind, his chest pounding as his heart pulsated at high speed. It worried Ben that after this first innocent kiss, after knowing how sweet she tasted he would always want more. Even the smallest taste can make the worst addiction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me :)  
> twitter / @ korloov  
> tumblr / korlovv-writes  
> you can also check my kofi for more info about the story♡


	9. Work day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am positive that Ben and Rose would have been very loving friends

When they arrived to New York, Rey finally felt at peace. The sound of the buzzing cars and rumble of people would always make her feel better; like she wasn’t alone. As soon as the plane landed they parted ways, not even glancing at each other as they mumbled, _see you tomorrow._

The routine would begin once again. Except, it didn’t.

The next morning when Ben entered the building with excruciating back pain, he realized that all eyes were on him; most of his co-workers would grin like crazy while others adverted their eyes in disgust.

“Your boss? Really?” said one of the workers near the reception, his laugh in awe as he turned to leave.

Ben gripped the cellophane cup harder as he made his way toward the elevator, apparently everybody now knew of the fake engagement. Everyone was imagining the worst scenarios; Ben crawling his way up in the publisher via pleasure job, or probably being so bored and horny that he ended entwined with his boss. Maybe they even thought he got Rey pregnant!

The elevator thankfully opened right on time as Rose was walking by, her small form a ball of nerves as she made her way somewhere. But was stopped short at the sight of the man entering the floor.

“YOU!” she yelled as she grabbed Ben by the arm and dragged him to the woman’s room. Whoever was inside was either to surprised to ask or really didn’t want to mess with Rose. Ben felt the coffee in his hand sway in many ways and eventually end up in his white shirt staining it entirely. What a day to wear white!

Rose smacked Ben hard on the arm as she sat her jacket on the counter.

“With her!? Really? Why? What drove you to it?” she said breathless. “Last time I checked you immensely hated her, and all of a sudden you are _ENGAGED_ to her?!”

Rose seemed soo out of her mind as she passed back and forth, her hands doing weird figures as she stared at the ground.

“You know who told me? Jessika Pava. The fucking copytaker!”

Ben glanced around the restroom as if searching for any clue that make him say the correct thing to calm her down. There was nothing but tampons and pads around.

“I’m sorry. This is a really interesting misunderstanding.” He mumbled as he dropped the cup of coffee in the nearest dumpster.

Rose seemed to not hear Ben at all for her pace seemed just as frenetic. “I’m your best friend and you did not tell me a thing! You even took her to ALASKA!”

“Rose.”

“I bet even your dog has already met her as your former fiancé!”

“I don’t have a dog–”

“Even Padmé! That old lady, she doesn’t deserve this!”

“Rose!” he exclaimed at last.

This seemed to bring her out of the daze, and actually look at Ben for once.

“I was going to tell you sooner or later, but things happened to fast.” He said smoothly as he reached for his best friend.

“Then this is your time.”

Ben really wanted to tell Rose everything; and he would just as soon as he finished his work day. He glanced at his watch only to see that his new fiancé would arrive at work in about 10 minutes and he still looked like a drenched napkin. He bent down and kissed Rose on her forehead.

“Catch me at 8 when my shift ends!” he called out as he ran out of the restroom into the gossiping office.

-

Rey glued her eyes to the draft infront of her desk, but the more she read the less sense it made. She could blame the bad writing style or the use of certain vocabulary, but deep down she knew that all her attention was on her office door, waiting patiently for it to open and show her tall brood assistant and his home scent. But each minute passed and he was nowhere to be seen.

Rey was tempted to actually leave her office and ask the nearest worker if they had seen him, but from the looks she received today –not that she had never received such looks. – made her stay put in her chair and wait for him.

He appeared ten minutes later with a horrid light green shirt and a cup of coffee in his right hand. She tried but she couldn’t hold any longer the breath that was tight up in her throat as soon as she looked at him.

“You are late, this will cause you to stay extra time to finish work.” she said as she returned to read the ugly draft.

Ben walked up to her as he rolled his eyes, he was very much used to this type of treatment. He placed the cup infornt of her draft in the weird looking coaster, the liquid was burning hot as the warning sign was marked with sharpies along the white cellophane.

“I wasn’t planning on being late, but there was a problem.” Ben said as he grabbed his planner and opened the page that read the exact date. “Today will be a tough day. You have a meeting with Holdo and the publishers in half an hour, they will discuss the Dameron draft. And also, did you check on him?”

“We talked when we were in Sitka, he’s giving us the draft.”

“I see.” He whispered as he lowered into a couch at the farthest end, his head bending a little to the left.

It was no news that Dameron liked Rey, in fact, the whole draft thing was always meant for her. He’s just prolonged the deal for the mere purpose of seeing Rey often.

Ben shook his head as he continued reading the page. “What has Simon said?”

That shot Rey directly in the head. She stopped her highlighting short as she looked at Ben.

She had been so invested in the Dameron deal and the Solo-Skywalker’s over the weekend that she totally forgot about the draft that Simon had to offer.

“Contact Simon. Make sure he does not give that draft away.”

Ben set to work as he dialed the number three times, it rang but he didn’t answer until the fourth time. It sounded so far away.

“Hello?”

“This is Rey Kenobi’s assistant form Resistance Co. Publishers. My boss would like to talk about that draft you have, we believe it can be of success in our hands.” said Ben in his most sincere voice.

The man laughed as he whistled into the air.

“You are a bit late for that, I’ve already sold the draft.”

Ben paled as he stared back at Rey whom seemed uninterested in the draft she was reading.

“What do you mean? I believe we reached out first.” He mumbled, this catching Rey’s eye.

“Well, over the weekend I got a better offer.”

Ben coughed as he blocked the phone from his voice as he called to his boss, the worry already crossing her forehead.

“He already sold the draft.” whispered Ben.

“What!?” she squeaked as she tore the phone from her desk, interrupting the call.

“Simon, it’s me, Rey. Tell me again about the draft?” she asked innocently.

The man cleared his throat before answering.

“Rey, sweetheart. You know, when you called me a couple of days ago and I heard your offer, I was truly impressed. But the weekend came and an even better offer came. I couldn’t turn it down.”

Rey cursed under her breath as she threw her highlighters across the office, one of them nearly hitting Ben in the face as he ducked to end the call. She breathed for a solid ten seconds before she answered.

“I’m sorry to hear that, but, I’m also glad someone will get to make your draft shine. But please, let me know who it is that will make your project a true success?” she plied in a sweet voice.

The man took his time to respond but finally gave in.

“I believe it was First Order Publisher.”

Of course it was.

Rey felt like snapping in two and raising hell while she was at it, but instead she smiled sweetly at the phone.

“I thank you Simon for being a very creative writer, I do hope to someday work with one of your drafts. Until then, bye.” She said calmly only to snarl at the phone once the line was dead. –Idiot. –

Rey stood from her desk and picked the draft from it, the colors vibrating in the sunlight. She watched as Ben stared at her in somewhat fear and adoration; a true goddess. The draft landed on his thighs as she reached for the doo.

“Check the spellings and make sure every word I highlighted actually exist, I don’t trust this author.”

And like that she was out of the room swaying her hips into the meeting room, where a new strategy would be planned.

This woman would always leave him speechless.

-

By 8 pm he was still loaded with work.

Rey was still in her office writing emails to authors of her interest, for she was planning this new book tour with theme: spaceships and alternative universes. She could do the work at home and be laying on her matrimony bed as she listened to the rain drop on the streets of New York. Yet, she also enjoyed staying in her little comfort zone as the lamp lights eased the words out of her into the electronic document.

She enjoyed the easiness of her office, the aroma and vibe.

Not to mention that Ben Solo was just a few feet away from her reach filling in some questionnaires and supervising the new book trailers. His shoulder were hunched as he bended closer into the bright screen of his laptop, the poor man had been suffering from intense back pain and work did not do so much justice to it.

His black hair swinged at the front of his face, almost obscuring his angular profile. Rey would have to ask him one of these days if he would mind posing for a book cover, for his face seemed carved from Greece. The thought made her blush.

She stood up to stretch her long legs and walked toward her window. The view was a delight for it showed the entirety of NY City. The lights always twinkling in the dark night, they city never sleeps and neither does she. The night always made her a different person.

Rey walked over to where Ben was and placed a hand on his shoulder, the touch soft against the spot. That took Ben by surprise as his eyes left the screen only to stare at Rey, he felt like he could melt in the spot.

“Take it home. You don’t need to be here still, rest or that pain in your back will be worse.” She said as she began to slowly rub circles into his skin. She smiled as a satisfactory growl left Ben’s throat.

She stood too close to him, a few inches away. He could lean further and his nose would touch her thigh, he could smell her.

A knock resounded in the office as the door cracked open to reveal the blushed face of Rose Tico.

“Uhm, I don’t mean to interrupt…but I really need Ben” she squeaked.

Rey set the distance as Ben flushed and hurried out the door, the air seeming too cold out of the sudden.

He followed Rose into a far hallway until he blurted out. “I still have work to be done, and–”

“It’s not that!”

Ben frowned as irritation started its way into his mind. “Then?”

“Your mother is here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello♡  
> So, i hope you are enjoying the story so far and feeling the angst and tension ;)  
> Just some thank you's to all the readers who leave kudos and beautiful comments! It means a lot to me :)  
> The original story was sadly deleted from ao3 and I had to reupload it again, wich meant i lost all the kudos the other fic had and some of the readers whi have no idea of what happened. (You can go check my tumblr to see the drama)  
> But ever since I reuploaded the fic, i 've noticed that there is more people and new people who are joining my fic. And I want to say thank you once again♡  
> For the new, i'm gonna warn you. I don't upload as often as i am doing now. Right now i'm just uploading the chapters i already had saved. But once I upload all 12, i don't assure you that I will be here often.   
> Right now i' m miles away from my laptop, so it is really hard for me to get to writting. But don't panic! The story is rolling and my ideas are flowing♡ you can go to my tumblr or twitter and ask me anything! Once again, thank you for the love♡
> 
> Raella


	10. Unexpected guests

“But we just left you!” he said staring down to the small figure of his mother and grandmother whom were sipping coffee in the reception of the building.

“I know, but we have a wedding to plan and we HAD to come to the city to buy the things we need. Sitka does not have everything, my dear” said Leia as casually as if talking about the weather.

Ben huffed, he had barely gotten out of his childhood home alive through out the weekend, and now he would have to bare his family for a little longer.

“Mom, Sitka is about a day away from New York. How did you two get here so fast?”

Leia laughed as a frown marked her forehead, she looked at her son as if he was telling some joke. “Ben, do you forget we have a private jet? Those things are faster!”

He felt like a child in which his mother had suddenly told him 'no' when he had plans for the day, the irritating slowly climbing up his body.

Padmé stood from her spot on the sofa and looked at Ben with a crooked eyebrow. “Did you not want us here?” she said softly, her voice slowly fading.

Ben always had a soft spot for his grandmother.

“It’s not that, but… you should’ve told me earlier.” He looked at the fragile body of the old lady all wrapped in plump coats with winter engravings even though they were a few days from entering fall. “You two are older now and get tired easily. Canada is a few hours away, not like a whole day away.”

Padmé smacked him on the arm with the mightiest power she still had.

“I love my grandson and for the first time in years he actually came back. Of course I’m going to want to be with him as much as I can before the force takes me away, even if an entire day worth of flight is the price!”

Leia cracked a smile as the elder lady reprimanded Ben Solo. Watching as her son softened at the words of Padmé Amidala.

“Anyway, we will be staying in New York for about a week, in case you wanted to know.”

“A week?” he echoed in horror, a week of no peace. The stress was slowly gathering in his shoulders.

Padmé nodded taking her seat again in the sofa. “Where is that girl of yours?”

Ben winked. “You mean Rey?”

Leia scolded her mother in steady ease. “Mother, she is Ben’s boss. It is more than obvious that she is working if Ben is still here. Otherwise they would both be already tucked in their home.”

Ben paled. “Home?”

The lady looked back at Ben. “Yes, I mean, you two do live together. Don’t you?”

He backed away as he turned red. Nowhere was safe.

“I mean, it’s only natural, honey. I’m not that out-dated to not know that some pairs live together before they are married–” she continued before Ben interrupted her.

“Well, we don’t”

The silence dropped in the room, every breath easily heard.

“We live separately. Our relationship is more…independent.”

“Oh, well…that would explain some things” mumbled Leia under her breath.

“What do you mean?”

“That explains why you two are so anxious over each other, even uncomfortable.” Her eyes fogging as she remembered her youth. “When your father and I were in our youth we couldn’t keep our hands of each other. It was a pain to wait for the wedding. I remember a night where–”

“Stop! I get it!” he snapped.

“Finish your shift, we will wait for you here my love” ended Padmé as she smiled at Ben.

It suddenly hit Ben what they actually had planned all along.

“You two did not rent a hotel room, am I wrong?”

The ladies exchanged glances as if caught with stolen candy in their hands.

It was Padmé who spoke first. “We truly miss you, Ben. And we would love to bask in anything you give us.”

There it was again, the irritation.

“It will be just for a couple of nights, we won’t bug that much”

He loved his mother and grandmother greatly, but he truly did not have a single chance to enjoy his loneliness and silence ever since they returned from the weekend. His tiny little sanctuary would now be filled with two loving ladies who would bug Ben into unconsciousness.

-

Rey did not expect to be attacked with hugs the moment she stepped a foot into the building’s lobby. Two old ladies (one middle aged, she would give her that) clung to her firmly, raining kissed on her surprised face.

“You are so gorgeous! What did Ben do to catch you?”

“I hope you are healthy and happy, my daughter!”

She took a moment to process the voices. “Leia? Padmé?”

The womans let go of Rey and smiled brightly in her direction. “Yes, dearest?”

Rey was not prepared to see them so soon when they had barely left their home in Alaska.

“What are you two doing here?”

Leia smiled. “I suppose you haven’t talked to Ben.” She dragged Rey into the sofa they were taking claim of and replied. “We need to buy some materials we need for the wedding!”

Rey frowned. “You should have called. I would have the things delivered directly at your porch, no need for you two to get jet lagged and exhausted at your age.”

“We have a private jet!” beamed Padmé as if that was all the explication she needed.

“We wanted to visit you two, wanted to see the place where Ben considers home” mumbled Leia in a sad tone.

“The man is divided, and so is his home.”

That seemed to brighten Leia a bit as her eyes shrunk in her cheeks. Rey felt warmth for these ladies as if the connection had always been there, all of the sudden Rey actually cared for someone else that was not herself.

“Where are you two staying? I could drive you to your hotel. Or are you waiting for Ben?” she asked.

Leia smiled wickedly as she looked back at Padmé who had the same smile.

“We are waiting for Ben, he said he would be quick but it’s been about half an hour.” Leia wrapped an arm around Rey’s shoulders. “We don’t have where to stay, this trip was unplanned and as you see, very rapid.”

“Ben wants us to stay in his department after he clarified that you two don’t live together, apparently” finished Padmé, looking at Rey through the corner of her eye.

“Yes, we don’t” stated Rey in firm voice, her eyes weary.

“But, darling, have you seen Ben’s tiny apartment? Of course you’ve had, it’s fit for two!” squeaked Leia as she tugged Rey closer. “Now, can you imagine how on earth we will fit in there? Ben takes the space of two, we will barely fit with all of our luggage.”

“I could talk to a couple of hotel managers I know. I’m sure we can find a proper hotel for you two to stay” suggested Rey.

“No! Not an option. Padmé here, um, can’t tolerate…the hotel soaps nor the towels. Just no!” ended Leia, grabbing Padmés wrist hardly as she was about to protest.

Rey did not want to do it. She wanted to seal her lips and let things the way they were. But she liked the way Leia was hugging her as if some lost daughter. Rey wished she was as selfish as everyone believed.

“You can stay in my home, it’s bigger than Ben’s”

Leia brightened as she looked at Rey in amusement. “Really?”

Rey nodded in defeat as she closed her eyes and smiled forcedly.

“It’s pretty big, I’m sure we can fit perfectly all three–”

“I don’t intend on being a nosy mother in law, but I think it’s best if you stay with Ben in the week.” Leia turned to her mother and winked behind Rey’s head. Follow my lead. “Padmé tends to snore really loud in the middle of the night, plus she is under a strict medication every 3 hours and the device we need is very loud. You are a working woman, it would be rude of us if because of our fault you would not function in your job well."

Rey swore under her breath. Of course this would have to happen, all the bad things liked to happen to her.

“There is no problem, I don’t mind at all.”

“We insist, my dear.” Agreed Padmé. “Try and have some fun together” she said her tone turned joyous.

“Really, there is no–”

“Ben, my love!” interrupted Leia in the highest voice, drawing the attention of the few workers who still remained. He was coming out of the stairs with the drafts Rey handed to him and his laptop barely tucked into his messenger bag. He needed a good cup of coffee, and preferably with a shot of alcohol in it. He gulped as soon as he saw Rey with his family. “Rey will make us the favor of staying in her house!”

_Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad for him._

“But she will stay in yours since we all don’t fit in Rey’s apartment.”

_Forget whatever he just said._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gods! I love Leia and Padmé XD  
> Also, i have a curious cat in case y'all wanna ask something.  
> Hope you enjoyed itt♡


	11. Apart-ments

Somehow they all ended in Rey’s black SUV as the driver carefully eyed his boss, seating next to him in the passenger seat, as the three guests marveled behind in their seats.

“Home.” Mumbled Rey as exhausted as she felt.

It did not occur to Ben that his daily torture would actually own a driver. He thought she was more of the independent kind.

It itched Ben to be in an alien car and not be the designated driver as he always was, mostly because everyone knew he could not get drunk for he always had work the next morning. Leia and Padmé cuddled against Ben’s forearms, drinking up the scent of family and warmth he had to offer.

When they arrived to Rey’s -not at all small apartment- Ben felt hurt. He had a crampy flat while Rey enjoyed the life of space and fresh air, not the contaminated one he had to breathe daily to go work.

She thank the driver as he proceeded to take out the extra luggage Leia and Padmé brought. Rey opened the door to her apartment revealing white walls decorated with minimalist designs and furniture, the fresh space oozing in the center of the room. Rey glanced back only to see an amazed face on Ben, his brown eyes drinking every wall.

“This way” she said as she led the ladies down a small hall, to a room with a king-size bed that looked extremely soft and comfortable, not like Ben’s flat mattress.

“Here you will stay and you can unpack in the drawer over there,” she said pointing to an onyx piece of furniture. “I will just collect my personal belongings and we are good to go.” said Rey turning to face Ben.

Leia frowned as she opened a bag. “Don’t you have your stuff in Ben’s place? I mean, you must stay at least some days over there?”

A moment of silence spread through the room as they totally evaded each other’s eyes.

“Mother, let Rey be.” said Ben walking out of the room. “She wants to collect some stuff she doesn’t have in my place, like tampons.” Rey blushed red as her mouth fell.

“I…am not on my-”

“Why else?”

Rey thought about it for a moment. As a fiancé it was expected of her to have spent her nights with Ben, but, she had never in her life ever set a foot inside Ben’s apartment. In fact, in the two years he has worked with her, she had no single idea of where he lived.

“Um, yes.” She mumbled heading straight to the nearest closet, retrieving a black bag with space enough for a whole month worth of vacation. She rummaged inside a couple of drawers in seek of her night gowns and clothes for the couple of days. As well as, her toothbrush (being very sneaky so Leia and Padmé would not notice that detail), her favorite perfume and a bit of makeup. Oh! And her pair of black heels for work, she wouldn’t forget those.

Ben watched in silence as he counted the minutes pass, every second being excruciating painful. He would never get peace with these three woman’s.

“Alright, I believe this is all I need for the week.” She said dragging the bag at her feet, totally expecting Ben to carry it for her.

“Don’t you think that’s too much for just a week?” asked Padmé as she lay on the bed now fully covered in a red blanket.

“I have a couple of events coming in the week, and I don’t fully think this is enough” she said toeing the bag with the tip of her heels, motioning a clue for Ben. _Pick it up, chief!_

Leia smiled warmly as she made her way toward Ben and Rey who stood at the doorframe, yet they were a good two feet away. She grabbed Rey’s small hands and ran a thumb across her slender fingers. The single thing made Rey quiver in familiarity, she wished she knew that sample of affection since childhood, but all she got as a child was fear. Rey snapped her hands away, as if Leia’s touch was pure fire. Her heart was beating at her throat, and in the act she stumbled a few steps away, but Ben catched her before she was far too gone, placing a steady palm against her back.

“I’m sorry for that, I just…”she trailed off.

Leia eyed the girl with concern as she then looked up at Ben. The same emotion drawn across his face, his eyes drinking the small form of a crumpled Rey. It was a dark moment for her, and Leia could see that she was not the one to talk about it. Instead, the smiled once again. “Rey, I want to thank you with all my heart. For letting us stay in your space and still being a stupendous woman. Padmé and I already feel like you’re part of the family.”

“She is!” yelled Padmé from behind.

“Thank you for letting us count on you, and I want you to feel the same about us. Maybe not know, but whenever you’re ready.” continued Leia.

Rey felt like crying. No one had ever expressed sincerity and curiosity in her wellbeing. No one had ever cared for her since the death of her parents at the age of 5. When she looked at Leia it felt as if something warm was calling to her, something she yearned. She hugged Leia in a minute, mumbling a ‘thank you’ against the shell of her ear.

“Go off now, you two have to work tomorrow morning and we’ve already passed Ben’s sleeping hour.” said Leia playfully.

Ben seemed to relax once he saw Rey smile at Leia, a small laugh escaping her soft lips. It somehow filled his heart.

“How will you two navigate around NY? Will you call me if needed?” asked Ben.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. We will call an Uber, I heard that’s the best way to get around town.”

But Rey was feeling welcoming and happy. For a millisecond, she didn’t recognize herself in that state.

“I will lend you my driver. His name is Issac and his number is on the fridge, if you need to get around the city, call him. He will be at your disposal.”

Leia blinked a couple of times. “That is not necessary, my dear. Really.”

But Rey was too happy, it felt as if she was with long lost family. “We are family, what is mine is yours.”

And she would not accept a NO for an answer.

-

Apparently Rey had no idea that Ben did not own a car or that he always took the subway to get home. She realized that once they stepped out of her apartment, and while she walked in high heels to the subway station, her bag clinging to her shoulder. She fought the cold air as she trailed behind him, his shoulders high and big.

"I really don’t need to stay at your place, I could just go to a hotel.” she said as the cars blew past her on the street.

Ben slowed down waiting for Rey to catch up when he looked at her, all blushed from the cold and messy hair from the wind.

“After letting my family stay in your house and lending them your personal driver, I think the least I can do is offer you some coffee and a warm place to sleep.” he said taking the bag from Rey’s grasp.

She looked at him with weary eyes, the idea of warmth sounding completely wonderful. Ben seemed to notice as she juggled the idea in her head.

“I promise not to say anything that will get you upset,” he said as he continued his way toward the subway station. “And to leave my room at your full disposal.”

Rey hurried behind him, keeping close to catch a bit of warmth from him. The idea of staying in a hotel that was crossing the city did not sound so good when she was tired as hell and her talons ached.  _It wouldn't hurt if I actually stayed?_  

“Fine, I do want a cup of burning hot coffee.”

-

“Remind me to give you a raise.” she said as she entered the small flat.

Indeed, Leia and Padmé were right. The apartment was as small as Rey’s bedroom and bathroom combined, in fact, this wasn’t even a proper apartment. She wondered how Ben intended to fit his family and himself inside the four walls.

“That…sounds great.” He said, placing the black bag on top of a couch. “But, I don’t want your pity.”

The ‘lounge’ was merely the couch and a small flat screen, the nearest coffee table only a few inches away from the couch, adorned with a beige lamplight. Even if the place did not have many furniture, it still looked cramped. The coffee table was plagued with the manuscripts she had handed him, most of them opened half way and others completely in pieces.

“Look at this place,” she said taking a few steps back only to realize she was entering the ‘kitchen’. It was just a white stove and a gray fridge, plastered in yellow sticky notes that Rey realized were hers, her handwriting visible from afar. “Where do you eat?”

Ben rotated his sore shoulders as he lay on the couch, closing his eyes to find some silence. “The couch.”

She returned to the ‘lounge’ to find a snoring Ben on a far too small couch, his limbs falling off the edge of the sofa as his head was bent in a very uncomfortable form that she knew he would hate tomorrow morning.

Rey took her bag from behind Ben’s big head and crept down another door, taking her time to inspect the small room in the progress. She noticed right away the individual bed at the far corner of the room and wondered how on earth Ben was meant to fit there. Next to the bed another coffee table filled with hand written work was seen, but next to it an empty mug. Next to his closet was a better looking bookshelf. 

As she changed her formal wear into her favorite night gown she stared at the bookshelf and was surprised to spot her favorite book, “The Neverending Story” stacked along other good classics. She grabbed the small book as she gazed at the cover, totally rejoiced to see the two snakes she had grown up with.

Rey sat on the bed with the book on her hands as she re-read the lines, reciting them in her head from memory. She read until probably one in the morning, until her bladder demanded attention. She rose from the bed and headed out of the room, spotting Ben exactly where she last left him. With a sigh she headed toward another door, one she had not opened before but was the only obvious entrance to a bathroom.

When she exited the bathroom she walked toward Ben, examining his soft features.

He had spent about two years in Rey’s service and never had she ever thought of him as something more than a work slave. He was always quiet and effective at what she asked, he was easy to manipulate. Now, at the sudden turn of events, he had transformed into something she never saw, something that was always there but not at her own eyes.

She had heard the workers at Resistance Co. in the bathrooms when they thought she wasn’t there. She would heard them talk about her specifically, crude evil stuff. They also said things about other woman in the building, and one time she heard about Ben.

They said he was ‘the ugliest man I’ve ever seen’ and ‘a white bland man.’ Back then she only rolled her eyes and continued with her awful day, but right now, she would fight anyone who would say such things.

She crouched on the floor, her eye level perfectly in line with Ben’s resting face. His lips were partly open, taking in slow bluffs of air. They were soft and warm, she recalled. When they shared their first kiss she was prepared to barf almost immediately, but to her surprise they were sweet from wine and cushioned like a feather. No one had ever kissed her with such delicacy, and her last carnal touch was about 3 years ago.

It was as if Ben heard her small breaths for his eyes slowly opened from the heavy sleep, one at a time. Only to catch a wide eyed Rey, staring deep into his face, her freckles shinning against the lamplight.

“Hello” he mumbled, his voice heavy from the rest. “What time is it?” he said as he lifted his upper body with his elbows.

Rey seemed unsteady as she lifted herself from the ground, her night gown fully visible at Ben’s now wide eyes, the sleep somehow clearing in the moment.

"About 1 am.” She mumbled as she gazed at the manuscripts in the coffee table.

“Holy hell!” he said, rising from his spot. “I must have fallen asleep.”

Rey laughed. “No shit, Sherlock”

Ben glared at Rey as he crossed the lounge toward the room tearing his shirt off on his way. That stopped Rey short, leaving the gawking woman a few feet away. In a spam of two seconds Rey realized that her two year assistant was shredded. His skin was pale and freckled with some moles, his shoulders expanding long and big, his abdomen marking a delicious path down his skin.

_Gods have mercy on me._

But the beautiful sight was cancelled the moment he placed a plain blue t-shirt on top, now covering the beautiful skin that lay underneath. He seemed to remember he was not alone for he turned around as he stared at Rey.

“Mind to turn around?”

Rey blushed as she slowly gave him her back, the thin hair on her arms rising with heat and excitement. She heard the shuffle of clothes and a few zippers, until he finally emitted a groan.

“Okay, I’m decent.”

She turned to see him bare feet in cotton black pants, his arms carrying some quilts and pillows.

“You will sleep on the bed, it’s not as big as yours nor as comfortable, but it will at least not make your back hurt from sleeping in the ground.” He said walking straight toward her, the scent of toothpaste lingering from his face.

“And you?” she asked.

Ben shrugged as he headed out of the room. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

She shook her head as she recalled his long limbs barely (and failing) fitting on the small couch. There was no way on earth he could sleep in there and not have a contortion next thing in the morning. Instead, she followed him and stopped him short, taking the quilts from his hands.

“I will sleep on the couch, you take the bed.” She said sitting crossed legged on the soft sofa. “There is no problem.”

“No, you will take the bed” he retorted, taking the pillow from her hand.

“Then I don’t want the bed!” said Rey in defiance.

Ben rolled his eyes as he pulled on a quilt, that only resulted in a fight as Rey grabbed the other end and pulled harder.

“What do you have against my bed?!” he argued back

“It’s not fair!” she said, pulling hard in adrenaline. “I’m taking your space and your peace, you deserve the bed!”

“So?!” Ben was a fan of a good dare. “You let my mom and grandmother stay at-” he pulled hard making Rey scoot from the couch. “your” he continued his hard pulls until she was at the edge, “house”. And with the final stroke she fell on her face.

Ben was too shocked to realize what he had done, he immediately kneeled on the floor next to Rey and grabbed her arms. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry!”

She took the advantage and knocked him in the face with a pillow from the floor. He fell backwards, falling flat on his back. Rey climbed on top of him, her legs on each side of his torso as she smacked his beautiful face every time with the feathery pillow.

 _“You”_  smack _“will”_ smack _“get”_ smack _“a fucking”_ smack _“contortion”_ smack _“and I”_ smack _“won’t pay”_ smack _“for the chiropractor”_

When she finished her fueled rage she was out of breath, her mind calming down. She could feel her pulse beating in her chest, the rise and fall. Yet, she realized her position until a warm palm covered her calf, the touch sparking the excitement in her chest.

The silence spread and all they could hear at 1 am in Ben’s small apartment was the shared rapid breaths and passing cars outside the window. They stared at each other’s eyes in utter silence until he decided to finally speak.

“We can share the bed.” He said, the palm of his hand still placed on her skin.

Rey nodded. “Yes.”

“No fighting this time.”

“Agree.”

Yet, none made a move to get up and leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am so sleepy :) but here you have it. even though i already had this chapter saved, i had to check it once again for the spelling.  
> I really hope you enjoy the story, and if so, please let me know in the box below.  
> or if you prefer, you can contact me through the other platforms on my bio.  
> Have a good night/day/morning???


	12. Awkward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mentions of a period

“Okay, what if we change the layout and aesthetic? Kids these days are all about that, the vibe and trope.” suggested Ben as he flipped through the various posters that were to be chosen for the next YA book Resistance Co. would launch.

Rey sipped her coffee as she stared at the images from her laptop screen, the pictures not pleasing her at all. “Call Leonora and hire her.”  She said leaning back in her chair as she opened some drawers on her desk. She pulled out a bag of low sodium chips and began to nibble on the first snack.

Ben hesitated as he sat down on the small chair in front of Rey, his gaze concerned as he watched her eat at a slow pace. “If I call Leonora, what will happen with Anna?” he asked in dread.

“Who is Anna?” she said between bites.

“Anna, the girl in charge of the cover designs.”

“Oh, well, fire her” she said as lazily as if taking about the weather.

It seemed she hadn’t learned a single thing at all. The anger started to bubble inside of Ben’s chest and the threatening drama of wanting to yell at her resurfaced. _Count to ten, kid._ He remembered Han’s useless words, and for the first time actually applied them.

“Rey,” he mumbled, capturing her eyes from the mesmerizing chip she held between her fingers. “You can’t just do that.”

That seemed to annoy Rey, she smashed the potato chip in her slender hand. Her brow creasing as her eyes seemed to widen a bit.

“Why not? Do I need to remind you of who is the editor in chief here?” she said loudly enough for almost the entire staff to know that they were arguing.

Today of all days Rey was in a very changing mood. Ben had noticed how she woke up startled in bed and immediately marched to bathroom. Then she cried for two minutes when she saw a puppy outside of his apartment.

Ben huffed as he rolled his eyes, scratching his new grown beard in annoyance. “Rey, you do realize that Anna is very talented, and you are throwing this whole tantrum because the cover proposition didn’t match with the ‘bookstagram aesthetic’?”

“Bookstagram is VERY important!” she argued back, lifting her salty fingers to point directly at Ben. “How could you understand? No one understand anything!!!” she said, her voice breaking in the process as a grutal growl ripped through her throat. “Aghhhhh!”

Rey stood from the desk and exited the office in a flash as she marched for the ladies room, holding her stomach in pain. Ben just sat there as worry marked his forehead watching as his boss enter the bathroom hurriedly.

_What is wrong with her?_

* * *

 

_It’s been more than 15 minutes._

Ben was worrying as he paced outside the wooden door, the sign hanging in bright blue. Rey had marched in and had not come out, and every second seemed to be an eternity. The girls at the office only spared him a side eyed glance, as if in pity. He was slowly getting crazy out there. Even if he tried, the odds were that he would see something he wouldn’t be able to forget again.

As if whatever god was smiling down at him, Rose passed by the floor carrying a wooden clipboard with highlighted numbers.  He yanked Rose to the door and held her steady by the shoulders as she readjusted her glasses.

“What on earth is wrong with you?” she said looking up and blinking twice when she realized the stern look on Ben’s face, the words stuck on his throat. “Ben, what is wrong?” she said more firmly.

He just wished he didn’t have too play the part of a worried boyfriend so well, because in fact, he did seem like an anxious husband. “Rey has been in that bathroom for more than 15 minutes. I’ve tried to talk to her, but I have no response.”

Rose blinked as she looked from Ben to the door mere inches away from them. “Why don’t you just go inside?”

Ben scoffed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Me? I’m a man. We both know it’s against the rules that I barge in to the ladies room.”

“Yes,” she said rolling the idea in her head. “but in this case it’s an emergency.”

He had thought about it seconds ago, but he didn’t want to interrupt Rey in some private thing -if she was doing something private-

“Can’t you just go and ask her to exit the ladies room?” he asked slowly, word by word tumbling out of his mouth, testing how Rose would take them. And by her face, not very well.

“UMMMM! No!” she squeaked.

“What? Why?”

She switched her clipboard from her arm and stepped back from the door. “This is your dilemma, my friend. Get inside and fix it!”

“I CAN’T”

“YES, YOU CAN!”

Those were her final words as she flew to the elevator, leaving Ben with a knot on his throat. He was going to need to get inside sooner or later.

* * *

 

He found he had the best of bravery after reminding himself what would happen if he didn’t return Rey back to her home, and the gigantic scolding he would have to hear from Leia and Padme. Ben counted until 10 before barging into the ladies room with full decision to drag Rey out.

What hit Ben first was the strong aroma of iron. Then the faint smell of sickness. The ladies room was empty, safe for the only toilette room that was locked from the inside.

“Rey?” he tried.

“Go away.”

Ben approached the metallic door and realized the pungent smell was stronger.

“You are not well. Let’s go to a doctor.”

Rey laughed behind the door.

“No doctor can cure this illness, and I am very grateful for it.”

“Don’t say that.”

He heard her take in a gulp of air when she responded. “Well, maybe when I get menopause.”

Ben was about to make a snarky remark when he heard the horrid sound of Rey vomiting into what he thought was to be the toilette. The sole sound made every hair on Ben’s arms lift to a standing point. The sound so horrid he needed to see her. He tried to open the door but failed as he realized that the lock would not give in to his pulls.

“Rey what is wrong?” he asked, the desperation now being totally noticeable on his tone.

The wretched sound occurred again only to be dimmed by the flush of the toilette. Slowly like a storm she unlocked the metallic door. She was very pale at the moment, her soft lips looking chapped and yellow. Her beautiful chocolate waves stayed now pressed into a messy bun on top of her head. She just seemed tired.

“I’m on my period, you jerk”

He felt the warm blood rush to his cheeks and ears as he looked down to her small frame standing awkwardly between him and the toilette.

“But…you were…vomiting.” He mumbled.

Rey laughed lightly as she moved toward the bathroom sink, rinsing her mouth with the cold water.

“I’ve always had bad cramps when I get my period. They are bad, like horrible.” She washed her hands with the soap she could find. “The pain is sometimes so unbearable that the necessity to puke is there. And when the pain peaks,” she turned to see him still standing awkwardly by the metallic door. “well, now you know what happens.”

Ben looked at her slowly, tucking his huge hands into his front pockets. “Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked miserably.

“Did you think it was easy being a woman?” she said with a smirk on her face as she walked to the wooden door. She didn’t open it nor leave, she just turned to look at Ben for some solid 5 minutes. “But for now, can you please get me a pain reliever and some good chocolate bars?”

He seemed to let go of his trance as he followed her out of the bathroom, keeping close to her. Ben noticed how every co-woker stared at the two of them, some with suspicious eyes and others with glee. They made their way back to their office as Ben lingered by the door frame.  He watched as Rey gulped a water bottle in less than 10 minutes. Her small body looking slenderer and paler, more than it had ever been, it preoccupied him in a way. He wasn’t supposed to worry about her outside of work, yet due to the recent turn of events, he couldn’t help but think and worry about her every second he could.

Rey caught him staring at her. She raised an eyebrow in question.

“I’m going to go get what you need.”

* * *

 

Rey ate the chocolate like she was a cannibal or a starving creature.

Throughout the work day she would howl like a wounded wolf and crawl to the ground only roll into a fetus position. She would hold her belly in a defensive position and after several seconds she would resume her work at her desk. If Ben was honest, it frightened him slightly. From what he could see, whatever a ‘period’ or ‘cramp’ was, it must have felt horrible.

That was the day Ben had felt the most anxious and stressed, and it wasn’t because they had to deliver a draft or package of new books when the dead line was days to count. When the clock finally hit 9 pm, it felt to Ben as if he was reborn. He wanted to go home and sleep like the big baby he was. Except that due to the recent situation he would have to share his loft with Rey.

“Thank God!” exhaled Rey as she flipped her laptop shut. “I need to go home.”

“Well, actually you are going to _my_ home.”

She just rolled her eyes as she grabbed her bag and headed to the entrance. “Yes, yes. I just need to sleep. I don’t care where.”

Ben trailed behind her, keeping close as the darkness consumed every corner of the office, except for some of the few lamp lights still standing tall. “Is there anything you want before we head _home_?”

Rey smiled in the darkness at the sound of a home, just the two of them. “Well I am starving, and the chocolate keeps my mood swings at bay.”

“Chocolate ice cream?” he suggested.

Rey beamed her smile, grabbing Ben by the arm as she motioned for him to look at her. “YES! And…” she stopped herself, thinking of anything her stomach desired. “TACO BELL!”

Ben laughed in the quiet. “Oh god!”

She lifted on her tippy toes, arching her head to look at Ben’s eyes. She planted the best pouty face she could manage and squeezed him tightly between her arms. “Please??” she whispered.

_Thank god this whole idea of the wedding was a fraud. Because if he didn’t know that it was all a lie, he would have fallen for her in a heartbeat._

“Of course,

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short but cute.  
> i hope you all enjoyed it and please tell me your thoughts <3  
> also, everyone go listen to 'Don't feed the pop monster' by broods. Hear all the songs and tell me which is your favorite. I can say mine is Everytime you go <3


	13. 2 awkward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some fluff

“What about chamomile tea? I heard it’s a relaxing brew.” He said as he watched Rey lock herself in his tiny bathroom once again. The only sound in the apartment being a mix of the fridge’s motor running slowly, and the gags emerging from the toilette.

Ben exhaled coldly as he removed the jacket from his shoulders, the warmth being too much for him. While Rey took her time in the tiny room; Ben proceeded to stuffing the two chocolate ice cream boxes in the miniature freezer. The Taco Bell aroma still clinging to his dress shirt; the grease of the chalupa he just ate lifting into his nostrils.

Rey came out into the small kitchen with her makeup half smudge into her right cheek, her eyes closing slowly from exhaustion. Somewhere between Taco Bell and the walk home, Rey had abandoned her high heels into Ben’s enormous palms.

“I hate tea” she said slouching into the small chairs just underneath the breakfast bar -that was pretty much all Ben had as a dinner table- “I feel like all I’m doing is drinking grass in water.”

She didn’t want to barf again, she didn’t want to flush away another delicious meal. Just before she came outside to meet Ben, she had cried a tiny bit in honor of the few cinnamon twists that had to go down the toilette. Rey needed to get the day over with, and as soon as she could find sleep, the better. She laid her head against the cool metal bar, the freshness calming the hot pressure on her forehead.

Ben watched the slim creature curl against the metal table and wondered how many flaws this human had. Rey closed her as the minutes seemed to pass, she could feel Ben’s stare lingering on her. She didn’t care. The silence being a wonderful treat for both, with only the buzz of the refrigerator sounding in the back, like the flat’s heartbeat.

Ben cleared his throat before speaking his mind.

“So, if tea is grass, then is coffee soil?”

_Lord, let me die during the night._

“The thing is, coffee brings such a bitterness that keeps me active and awake. While the tea just makes me piss constantly”

Ben rolled his eyes as he turned the coffeepot hot. “Then coffee it is.”

She turned on her seat and exited the room, ready to change into her comfortable pajamas, -an over sized t-shirt that Ben let her borrow when all her sleeping clothes turned dirty in less than expected. The shirt was so big, that it lingered by Rey’s midthighs, exposing skin. She truly didn’t mind, there was something about Ben that assured her she would be safe, that he would never harm her, she was sure of that.

On days were her period attacked her like it did at the moment, she would always use a heat pad that lived in the harbor of the bathroom cabinets of her house. She would use the pad to gain some relief and ease to slip into a perfect sleep. Yet, she did not bring the miracle with her.

_Improvising will do._

“Ben!” she shouted from the bedroom. “Where is that gray stripped scarf?”

Ben stopped pouring mid-mug and turned to her voice, even though he could not see her, it felt polite to turn in her direction. But from what he could recall he had never owned a gray scarf.

“What scarf?” he asked curiously.

Rey sighed lifting from the bed, her hands starting to rummage through the tiny closet in search of that scarf. Rey knew he owned a gray scarf, she knew like breathing was a thing. She had never seen him wear it, nor seen it in the time she had stayed in his apartment. But she knew because she was the one who gifted it to him for Christmas.

“It was a Polo Ralph scarf. I gave it to you for last years Christmas!”

It hit Ben like a canon. That ugly scarf she had gifted him in an act of looking good in front of Holdo. That day everyone was invited to the staff’s annual Christmas party, and Ben pretty much preferred to be in that awkward situation instead of stuck with his family. That was were he made the best of friendships with Rose Tico, the Sales Position assistant. She insisted on making small talk with the awkward giant that lingered by the door, for Rose was small but she was never intimidated. That night Rey had taken the day off and even leaving early. But out of the blue, Holdo came through the multitude and hugged every single employee. A thing none other would have ever done.

Back then, Rey was not the favorite in the editing field. She had many competition and sometimes she would make Ben work the double. But to Holdo, ‘a happy employee means better work’.

And so, Rey barged into the closed building holding Polo Ralph scarfs for everybody.

What Ben can remember quite remarkably is how he went to the thrift shop exactly two days later and donated that piece of cloth. Not only was it ugly, but he was allergic to wool -aside from the peanuts, he would always crave peanut butter since childhood-

Ben decided to act as if the situation was not happening. He clung to the coffee mugs and walked serenely into the bedroom, where sheets and sweaters were upside down.

“What happened to it?” she asked resigned at the edge of the bed

He handed her his mug and watched as she sipped slowly the brew. “I think I lost it on a windy day.” He murmured, hiding behind the beige mug.

Did Rey believe him? No. But she was too tired to argue.

“Do you have any cloth I could use? Something a can press down?” she asked as she curled herself into the mattress.

“What for?”

“Since I didn’t bring my magic trick with me, I need to improvise”

Ben thought for a moment and realized he did not own anything near. Nothing she could wrap around herself.

“Do you think another shirt could work?” he lifted the long green sleeved t-shirt, maybe the arms could help her someway.

Rey thought of any alternative but was knocked by the searing pain once more.

“You know what? Anything is good!”

Rey yanked the shirt as she stood from the bed and headed to the iron to heat the piece up. Ben watched in awe as he slipped from his own clothes, reading himself for rest. He liked to sleep with nothing but his underwear, but with Rey now sharing the same bed as him, well, it wasn’t the same. He slid into the soft, warm quilt and watched by the bedside table as Rey furiously ironed the oversized t-shirt.

“What are you trying to make?” he asked sincerely.

She kept ironing until the heat stayed concentrated in the material. She lifted the shirt by the arms and started to wrap it around her lower belly, covering the crotch area entirely. The warmth bringing such a relief that a low moan escaped. She rushed to the bed and slipped just beside Ben.

The poor human kept his eyes trained on the small body as it curled on his ribs. She huffed and breathed in the soft smell that was a man in human flesh, not imagination. Rey wiggled like a worm until she could not find the comfort. She poked Ben by the ribs.

“I’m gonna need you to hug me.”

“What?” asked Ben, startled from head to toe.

“Yes,” she said, slipping her arms around Ben’s ribs, enfolding his back in her small palms. Chest to chest as she felt his breath quicken at the sudden pressure of two warm bodies. Her shirt touching the soft fabric of his sleeping shirt, the rise and fall of his breath on her cheek.

He stared at her, the sudden movement bringing tingles on his skin. Rey knew this was a bad idea, but she needed the relief, and maybe, just maybe, she yearned for the touch.

“When my pain gets bad, I usually use a heat pad. But you don’t own one, and I certainly didn’t bring mine.” She said, her lips dry as she realized how close they were. She could practically lean in and kiss his shoulder softly, not that she was thinking about that. “And I had to improvise.”

Ben nodded in the soft glow of the bedside lamp. “And how does ‘us’ being this close help?” he said, voice weak.

Rey closed her eyes, inhaled the sweet scent of lavender and coffee. “The heat won’t stay forever in this piece of cloth.” She said leaning her head against the crook of his neck. “I am exhausted and in need of sleep. Just wait until I’ve gained the sleep; then you can free of me if you want,”

Ben would never let her go in pain, he held her tighter against him, wrapping his big hands on the planes of her back, the embrace somehow sweeter than ever.

“Sleep.” he murmured against her hairline.

They slept with the low light watching their dreams interact, the scent combining into what Rey would always associate with _home_. She always felt safe and relaxed when he was around, she was suspicious it was the lavender he often wore. Yet, he could smell like any junk but there would always be that faint aroma that would distinguish him from the rest. And no matter how hard she tried, that smell, the smell of Ben Solo would always bring her peace. And most of all, it would always bring her _home_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a short chapter, i made it quick because it's a special gift for all those who spent their Valentine's Day in solitude, like me. Don't worry, that's why we have the best fluff and smutt.   
> How does this chapter make you feel. I loved it <3  
> You know the rest...chat with me.  
> Also, let me get clear. I don't have a beta reader at the moment, so that's that. Sorry if the writing is bad, but i;m trying to get better.


	14. Neon lights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> triggers// some hints about abuse and assault.   
> but don't worry, every harm I do comes with a reward at the end, trust me.   
> This chapter has a very special surprise that I personally love :)

“ _Don’t be shy, little dolly. Open up for papa.”_

She wiggled in his arms, like some worm in the increasing heat. She murmured little words, mixing with the increasing panic on her tone. That panic is what woke Ben Solo up.

He fell asleep the moment Rey’s soft breaths started to tingle his long neck. Yet, it was a sharp contrast how he had woken up, with terror as his first thought as he noticed Rey’s soft screams of help.

Ben opened his eyes as he drank the image of Rey’s crumpled face in some distant agony. Whatever dream she had was a terrible ride. He slipped both his hands to cup her cheeks, embracing the soft warmth of her skin that was covered in a slight layer of sweat. He rubbed his thumbs against her cheekbones, trying to break whatever nightmare was torturing her precious mind.

“Rey, wake up!” he whispered against her ear, gripping her cheeks in slow shakes. “It’s a nightmare.” He tried to reason.

He noticed in the faint moonlight how some tears slipped through the creases of her eyelids that remained forcedly shut. Ben repeated his words louder and louder until her eyes cracked in the darkness. He heard the sobs attack her as soon as she realized it was Ben’s hands that gripped her face, his warmth that pressed flush against her skin.

“Please!” she whimpered, “don’t let him!” she sobbed against his palms, the haze of the dream still clouding her thoughts.

Ben didn’t know to whom she referred, but if she felt safe again, he would do it all. He passed a large thumb under her patchy eyes, dragging the wetness away from her blurring sight.

“Shh! You are safe. Nothing will happen to you.” He murmured soft and slow only for her ears.

Rey trembled under the cotton sheets, the sobs slowly easing into a steady hiccup. “Please! Don’t!

Ben couldn’t take any other minute of her terror, it was slowly making it of his own. He wrapped a hand around her neck and pushed her face to his neck, shoving his other hand to her back, making the two of their bodies combine in a solid rock. As long as she whimpered into him, she would eventually calm herself and find some sense of peace.

Her hiccups eased slowly, at the same beat as her heart, finding the comfort in Ben’s chest, the warmth she always craved.

* * *

 

Rey awoke before dawn could break in the sky, the darkness being her favorite time of the day. She untangled herself from Ben’s long limbs as she made her way in silence to the small kitchen. Rey sat in the lone chair as she sipped some ground coffee she actually managed to prepare; she listened to the passing traffic just outside the building as the strong aroma of coffee hit her nostrils. She definitely missed those morning back in Arizona, where the heat would mess with her body and yet she insisted on drinking coffee in order to stay alive in college.  

She had problems over what had happened earlier in the midst of the morning, she still remembered that nightmare as vivid as the memory itself was. And now she couldn’t deny it any longer, she could not hide the truth from Ben. The memories fed from her brain, consuming the limited time it could take from her. She felt nauseous.

Ben woke up an hour later, when the sunrays pierced through the white curtains, making it clear that a small freckled body was missing in his bed. He panicked for a millisecond until he spotted her frame sitting in a chair near the window, looking at nothing as her hands gripped an empty mug.

He would not ask her about the nightmare, that was something he would leave to her choice. After all it was her privacy. Ben was happy as long as she was safe and would never have to see her in pain nor panic. He walked in the kitchen and opened the fridge, making noise so she would notice his presence.

It did take her out of her trance, her eyes adjusting in the now shinning sun. Rey turned in her chair to look at a ruffled haired Ben who drank milk directly from the gallon. She cleared her throat as the words formed in her mind.

 “I’m sorry about what happened. I’m not a child anymore” she spoke softly as her head lowered in a sudden embarrassment that consumed her.

She didn’t expect Ben to look at her with such a warm gaze, to see those eyes fixed on her in the most loving form. It had been years since someone looked at her with at least a glimpse of warm affection. But even that felt too much, she didn’t want any pity.

“Next time just smack me in the face” she mumbled, setting the mug on the breakfast table as she walked back to the bedroom, ready to leave this cramped space that was poorly described as an apartment.

Maybe the universe was sending her some strange signs that her day would not be the best. Maybe she could find a balance in the galaxy, but not that day. She was exiting the shower when her phone ringed at mighty volume. When she answered the call -half expecting it to be Poe Dameron- it felt as if a new weight was being added to her shoulders.

“HELLO??HEEEELLO? LEAIAAA, ARE YOU SURE THIS WORKS?” screamed the old lady at the other end of the call.

Rey winced as the loud voice clearly wounded her listening, “Padmé, don’t scream please!”

“MOTHER! YES I…t works!” said a new voice through the rambling.

“Leia?”

At the sound of her voice, the receiver whistled. “Rey, I’m so glad to hear you! How are you? How’s things over there?” said Leia with a very joyous tone as she asked her last question.

Rey laughed anxiously. Things were going not as planned, and she was exposing herself to her two-year secretary. “Things are…well, very… well?”

“Oh no! Is there something wrong?” asked Padmé out of the blue. “You are in speaker, darling”

_Of course, she was._

“Everything is fine, I promise we are good” assured Rey.

She heard Leia let out a breath that resounded in the speaker. “The week is over, and we need to clear just some few details before we leave.”

Rey was pretty sure where this was going, and she did not want to be a part of it. But, what kind of bride would she be if she was not excited for her own wedding.

“Maybe I can help with that. Tell me what it is.”

Padmé laughed soundly on the other line, only to be abruptly silenced by Leia shushing in the background.

“No, darling. We have it covered, it’s just a tiny detail that really needs your help and, asssssistance“ said  Leia weakly.

Rey knew something awful was being laid down on the table, but maybe if she played along that would mean they would leave earlier, which meant she would soon have her apartment to herself once again. Which meant privacy.

“Okay, tell Issac to come pick me up in half an hour. Does that sound good?” she asked Leia for confirmation.

“Of course, dear. Don’t you worry a thing!”

Just when Rey was about to reply, the beeping cut her words.

_I guess no farewell._

* * *

 

Rey dressed as petite as she could with the poor choices she had taken out of her house, the small floral dress looming over her tan legs. She had taken the bathroom as her own as she realized she had spent almost an hour locked inside the four walls. She unlatched the lock and took a step back as she watched the giant with a scrunched face. His forehead was slightly covered in beads of sweat.

“Please, hurry up” he whispered as Rey fought to suppress a chuckle as she leaned away from the bathroom.

Leia and Padmé were extremely late for an hour had already passed and there was no sign of these women. She was starting to suspect that she was played by the Skywalker ladies, until a claxon sounded loud and clear in contrast to the never-ending traffic outside. Her phone started to buzz as Leia’s incoming call announced her arrival. She was grabbing her bag ready to leave when Ben exited the bathroom with his toothbrush in mouth.

“Where you goin’?”  he asked inaudibly.

Rey turned her phone in hand, showing Ben the giant name crossing her phone with bold letters. He read intently as he nodded in compass with ‘Feel it still’ that was her old-time ringtone.

“Okay, call me when you get wherever you go, and…,” he turned to rinse his mouth before he continued his warnings. “don’t let my mother drink too much and most of all don’t let my grandmother have anything that will accelerate her heart rate.”

Rey rolled her eyes as she made her way to the door. “Ben, we are only going for materials for the wedding. Nothing heart panicking will happen!”

“Anyway, just call me once you get wherever you are all going?” he mumbled. She could hear the slightest of anxiety in his voice and if she had to be true, Rey was pretty sure that most of his anxiety was because of her.

She turned to watch his huge body leaning against the bathroom doorframe. The black locks brushing against his brown eyes, marking his face in a beautiful way. Maybe Rey was looking at him with such affection that the feelings would stir as a potion in a cauldron. They both had to admit that they adored the intimacy that these ridiculous small walls actually brought.

“You look beautiful, Rey. Orange suits you very well.” He said as bravely as he felt.

Rey could feel the heat warm her cheeks and she begged all of the wicked saints that she didn’t look like some weird blushing carrot from Veggietales. Maybe her heart had turned softer in the coming weeks, and just maybe she was falling for the dork with the most beautiful brown eyes she had ever seen.

With flushed cheeks and all, she made her way to stand just in front of him, the mint breath hitting her cheek as she stood on the tip of her toes and placed her lips on his rough cheek. Skin to skin as Rey pressed her soft lips as the tiniest of facial hair remained pressed. She returned to her spot only to see a wide-eyed Ben with furiously red ears, If Rey was to go for a whole month, that was the image she would like to take, the scene of an uncomposed and totally exposed Ben Solo. Rey laughed before she exited the apartment in a hurry, not saying a single word to the man in the bathroom.

* * *

 

“Where exactly are we going?” she asked as her uneasiness started to pike. They had passed more than three fabric shops, as well as craft stores, and at none they stopped. Issac glanced at her but never once offered a response.

Padmé sipped her coke in silence as she watched through the window, her eyes lighting up when the vehicle finally stopped outside an abandoned building. At least that is how it seemed since no car was in sight. Except that utter dread filled Rey’s stomach as she read the big letters announcing what was to happen, something she should have expected long ago. “Rock’s Strippers”

“No way!” she yelped as she scrambled to the corner of the leather seats. They would have to drag her into that building if they wanted to get in.

Leia laughed as she took hold of Rey’s arm and yanked with a power that Rey did not expect her to own. All she could do was shake her head repeatedly as they walked her toward the entrance where a tall blonde guy greeted her in the burning sun of 9 in the morning.

“Leia, I really don’t think this is the best of ideas. I was supposed to meet with Ben in a couple of minutes actually.”

But the two women didn’t hear a word as they winked at the muscular man who grabbed Rey by the waist as they entered the building. It surprised Rey to see that the interior was covered in dark red curtains, not letting a single streak of light pass through. Somehow the place smelled like sweets and fruits, not like a place were most girls lose their virtue. In the front of the area there was a stage with buzzing neon lights and a glowing pole. Not once did Rey stop shaking her head as the man placed her in a reserved table just in-front of the stage.

Leia sat beside her while Padmé chose her seat at the top of the table, next to the actual stage. Once Leia saw how uncomfortable her future daughter-in-law seemed she brought her an alcoholic drink for the ease, a bloody mary for the nerves.

“You will have the rest of your life to see Ben dance to you in just what he was born with. But take these last hours to enjoy your last moments of no restrain liberty. Feel free to touch!”

“Ohhh, by the way, we invited your friends!” said Padmé as she slurped a lemon margarita.

Rey winked twice as she processed her words. She was not the one to have friends, and least of all, female friends. Sweat beads started to form on her forehead. “Friends?” she squeaked like a mouse.

“Yes, the ones from your office!”

She felt doomed. Squashed and broken. And just as if they were waiting for a cue, two ladies entered the building with colored beads dangling from their necks. They smiled brightly as the walked to the main table, in which Rey tried to make some memory of ever seeing them before that day. No, she had no clue.

The tall brunette gave Rey a hug and smiled as the other far shorter girl did the same. They smelled greatly of some cheap cologne as their scents lingered. Rey raised an eyebrow as if asking the universe who the hell they were.

The brunette cleared her throat as she watched Rey, her smile falling slowly. “Miss. Rey, your soon to be mother-in-law invited all of us to your bachelor party. We know that we were never close, but-“

“I have no idea of who you two are.” interrupted Rey.

The short girl laughed and continued the speech for her embarrassed friend. “We are from the assembly department.” She said as if that would clear her mind. Rey shook her head. Nop, not once.  

“Well, I bet all of the women from the building will be here on this big day!” squeaked Leia next to her.

And she was not wrong. From the ones that worked in the cleaning departments to even Amilyn Holdo that was having a martini at the bar. Soon the table next to her was filled with very intimidating gifts -she actually peaked into one only to be greeted by an enormous dildo, there was a note at the side that read “for the days you need to go on book tour and can’t bring Ben along, xoxo”-  That ceased all curiosity Rey could feel over her gifts.

The electronic music began to increase the volume as the drinks shook on the tables, woman cheered and laughed all around. Everyone was having a good time, all except the main host.

Rey wanted to dig her way into the center of the earth and disappear for a while. But she found that she was surrounded by her fake-boyfriend’s family. Leia laughed as she drank from her third martini, the one thing Rey said she would take care of.

“ROSE! IS THAT YOU???” screamed Leia to the wind as she looked at the entrance as a short Asian girl walked in with her beaded necklace shinning in the neon bulbs. When the girl saw Leia and Padmé she burst out the biggest of smiles and sped to their table. The girl -Rose- hugged Leia tightly as they rocked back and forth, in the way you hug a person you haven’t seen in a long time. Then she hugged Padmé with the same affection, both women rained Rose in the most loving kisses.

Rey didn’t want to admit it, but…she was getting jealous. _Just a little_ , she reassured herself. The hugged the girl with so much love and called her name in the softest of tones. When Rose stopped hugging Leia and Padmé she finally turned to acknowledge the main guest and hostess.

Rey tried to not show her bitch side, but it was truly demanding to boil forward.  So, she shut her mouth, smiled and hugged the girl in return. _Okay, Rose was soft and warm, and she did smell good. No wonder Leia and Padmé like her so much._

“I’m so glad I can finally meet the fiancé of my Benji!” squeaked Rose as she separated from Rey. And just as she heard her words she tensed. _Her ‘Benji’?_ “I actually work in the accountancy department, so let’s say I don’t get to hang around with the big editors” said Rose winking at her.

Rey felt like announcing that heads were going to roll. She smiled falsely. “I didn’t know you worked at Resistance Co.”

“I entered at Resistance the same time as Ben.”

Leia nodded as she listened to the conversation intently. “Rose knows Ben since they were children. I used to bug Ben that they were going to marry eventually, but I guess I was wrong” she laughed as if it were a mere thought. And maybe Rey could bite. “They’re both from Sitka and they both moved to New York in search of the American dream.”

Rose was about to reply when the announcer finally got on stage, breaking all intention Rose had.

“LADIES AND LADIES! BE PATIENT, OUR BEST MEN IS COMING FOR THE BRIDE!” said the announcer, winking at Rey and pointing his ridiculous fat finger at her.

Rose laughed as her tiny eyes squinted together with a smile. “I hope we can catch up anytime”

Rey nodded, not sure if she wanted to.

“PLEASE, WELCOME THE FINEST MAN. AND EXOTIC CREATURE TO WILL YOUR KNEES!!!”

The ladies screamed, anticipating this man.

“IF YOU WANT HIM, YOU WILL HAVE HIM!”

The lights all centered on the stage and behind some curtains the shadow of tall muscular man could be seen. Rey gulped dry, not sure if she was ready for this stupid game.

“THE MAN. THE JAR JAR!”

The curtains flew open and it revealed the man as tall as Ben but with skin so tan it resembled to be orange in the lights. He had a mouth as thick and big as a carnival clown, with ears even bigger than Ben’s. It was so weird from Rey point, that instead of being excited she was actually very terrified. Yet, the entire room exploded in cheers and screams as the music escalated into blur of beats. They all clapped with the beat as the stripper danced its way in the stage, his chest exposed and only some black boxers to cover the bulk.

“Yah heard das a bride in here!” he spoke into the headband microphone revealing his thick foreign accent. No one she knew had an accent THAT thick and weird.

Leia clapped and pointed at Rey, suddenly all the lights were on top of her. She could have not felt more exposed and embarrassed in her life than how she had in that exact moment, it was horrible.

Jar Jar smiled in the most horrible way and climbed off the stage, heading directly to Rey’s chair. “Meesa come with me!”

That was her cue to shake her head furiously, to find her escape. But everyone was smiling and looking at her, all clapping and feeling actually happy for her. The man took hold of her hand and guided her to the stage, sitting her on a lone black chair in the center. It was strange to be the center of attention for something more that just giving out orders and terrorizing the workers.

The music changed and morphed into the catchiest song she ever heard. She knew from the moment she heard the first compass of the melody that the certain song would be cursed to her for eternity.

“Let’s see if I can make Meesa sweat?” he said as the song ‘Gonna Make You Sweat’ entered to full gallop.

Jar Jar took hold of Rey’s hands and forced their way into his chest, gleaming in drenching coconut oil that drowned Rey’s nostrils. She was either going to throw up for the show that was occurring in front of her boss and whole working crew, or because of the smell of coconut oil. The man moved his hips in synchrony to the electric music, sometimes getting to close the Rey’s face.

The woman at the tables clapped and cheered as Jar Jar moved to the side, bending his back so his ass was at Rey’s eye level. And for then she definitely felt nauseous.

She turned to look at Padmé suddenly remembering Ben’s warning of her heart condition, but once she saw her, she could clearly see that she was in no danger at all. Padmé was ecstatic as she climbed on her chair and screamed at the top of her used lungs “SPANK HIM!”

Suddenly the crowd started to repeat that one command, some girls slamming the tables in search for an echo while others clapped even louder. Rey’s anxiety was growing bit by bit, forming a little jenga tower. She scanned the room only to notice Amilyn still at the bar drinking what she thought was piñas coladas, smiling widely at Rey. She lifted a single hand and waved it in emotion. It took Amilyn two tries for Rey to understand: _smack him hard_.

Rey closed her eyes for the briefest moment and made a side note.  She lifted her left hand and swing her wrist as her palm made contact with his butt cheek. The ladies went crazy and the music transformed.

She was _never_ going out with Leia and Padmé ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are we feeling? Did you all enjoy the chapter? Yes, why? No, why?  
> That was a really long chapter, but I decided to gift it to you the readers because I abandoned you for a long period. I hope this makes it up <3  
> Let me just get clear that Rey has gone through a rough history so that will be something that they will have to endure, but as I said at the beginning. Every harm I do comes with a reward.   
> Honestly, i'm here for Jar Jar the stripper XD   
> Lastly, I've been banging to 'Superstar' by Marina on repeat to get my inspo for this chapter. If you want to now how Rey and Ben feel for each other (even though we already know they love one another), you should def go check it out <3
> 
> Until next chapter, Raella

**Author's Note:**

> Talk with me :)  
> twitter / @ korloov  
> tumblr / korlovv-writes  
> you can also check my kofi for more info about the story♡


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